Pilates Thoughtful Tuesday: Social Media, Opinion, and Owning Your Name

A cracked laptop screen pierced by an arrow shows how harsh online comments strike.

Social media hits hard. It lifts you, teaches you, and then someone you have never met fires off insults without signing their name. That is the part that gets to you. An opinion is fine. Hiding behind “anonymous” while throwing that opinion at people is weak.

We have been planning this classical Pilates debate for a long time. Gill Cummings Bell and I wanted a real conversation. A space where people ask questions and share views without judgement. Nothing dramatic. Nothing designed to start a war. The response shocked us. We are close to two hundred people registered. It shows how much interest exists when people feel welcome to talk.

Gill has pushed the industry forward for years. Her knowledge is deep and her mind is open. She handles hard topics with skill and calm. I grew up with the usual dance training torture from a young age. Long before anyone thought boys in dance could be a positive storyline. Abuse and criticism were built into the day. It does build a thick skin, although nobody ever admits how much it still stings.

Last night someone posted a message in a social media group attacking the debate and the people behind it. Anonymous, of course. The comment said we were not classically trained and should not be leading the discussion. The tone was sharp and carried a level of aggression that was unnecessary.

I answered. I should have ignored it, but here we are. When someone who does not know you makes claims about your training, it hits a nerve. I have spent forty seven years teaching. I trained in the 70's with Alan Herman and then in the 80s and 90s with Romana, Carola, and Ron’s teachers. These were people who learned from Joseph Pilates. Each of them taught with clarity, logic, and respect for the body in front of them. It was never about a fixed list of movements. It was about understanding.

The core issue is simple. A debate needs names, faces, and honesty. If you want to take part, say who you are. If you hide behind a blank profile, you are not debating. You are throwing stones at strangers.

I enjoy social media. TikTok is full of young talent. Artists, singers, dancers, people who work hard without any platform behind them. Instagram feels different. Facebook is its own cluster of small tribes who stay inside their corners. It is useful, but also the place where pointless comments spread fast.

If my skin were thinner, that message tonight would have cut deeper. Years of dealing with judgement over my sexuality and my move into dance built armour. Not everyone has that. This is where social media turns harmful. Anonymous criticism is not feedback. It is bullying.

If you want to talk about Pilates, classical or contemporary, then talk. Debate. Share your name. Share your training. Bring your view. That is how a community grows.

Thoughtful Tuesday is a good time to step back. The debate tomorrow on Wednesday will be open, respectful, and built on real voices. That is what matters.

Not the people shouting behind anonymous profiles.

https://www.myacademy.pro/event-details-registration/the-debate-about-classical-pilates