Welcoming Everyone with Open Arms
There’s a waitlist to get inside North Carolina’s first Black-owned Pilates studio. Prevailing Pilates, owned by Sabrina Seymore, opened in October 2023 in Durham.
Since its grand opening, the studio has maintained at least a one-month waitlist for classes. It’s already making noise as a safe and inclusive space.
“I consider myself as someone who is in shape. Not necessarily lean, but I have a muscular body type,” Seymore says. “When you go into many of these studios, you see a lot more lean, taller, and thinner women. In my studio, there are all body types.”
Having a reputation as a welcoming studio is a dream come true for Seymore. She’s always been active, most recently as a heavy weightlifter. However, an injury meant she had to try something new.
A Trailblazer’s Journey
Initially, Seymore felt discouraged when she couldn’t find Black Pilates instructors in the Raleigh-Durham area. She thought it wouldn’t be a welcoming space for Black bodies.
At the height of the COVID crisis, Seymore began taking online and YouTube Pilates classes. She fell in love with how Pilates made her body feel.
When COVID-19 restrictions lifted, she found a local studio, but it didn’t meet her needs, so she decided to create her own.
Fostering a Supportive Community
“People work out for the physical aspect, but they stay for the community,” Seymore says. “People are more motivated to work out with their community. Staying committed always boils down to community.”
Seymore wants people to know their body and fitness level are perfect for Pilates when they walk through Prevailing Pilates’ doors.
She aims to create a sense of community. Before classes, she sets the mood with music in the luxurious studio. After class, clients can decompress in a two-person sauna.
Expanding the Vision
Seymore has seen the benefits of Pilates, including working on muscle groups and joints often neglected in cardio and heavy weightlifting.
She’s also found Pilates provides core strength and mental healing. Seymore wants more people to experience these benefits.
“I definitely want to expand throughout the state, and I have my sights on Charlotte,” she says. “I would also like to get more Black instructors fully trained. There’s not a lot of us that are certified in Pilates. I would love to bring more training opportunities to my studio.”
