Our certified instructors
& studio story
Certified specialists in Pilates, Gyrotonic®, yoga, injury rehab, and athletic performance — all under one roof in McKinney, TX near Craig Ranch.
Movement that changes things
McKinney Movement Center is a boutique movement studio in McKinney, TX where you'll learn to move smarter, more efficiently, and with more confidence — guided by an exceptional team of certified instructors who actually care about your results.
We work with clients across an extraordinary range — from spinal cord injury recovery to professional MLB pitchers, pre-professional ballet dancers to older adults building bone density. Our mission is to activate confidence and engage joy in every client, one session at a time. We believe movement has the power to heal, and we've built a studio that proves it every day.
We're locally owned and independent. Emily is in the building. Your instructors will learn your name, your history, and your goals. That's the MMC difference — and it's why clients who find us rarely leave.
owned
Emily is the Owner of McKinney Movement Center, a movement studio providing a cutting-edge approach to fitness and wellness alongside a community of teachers and clients who love to move and believe it has the power to change us for the better.
Among the athletes she works with is Andrew Abbott, starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, who has trained with Emily in the off-season. After sustaining a shoulder injury in 2024, he went on to have a record-breaking 2025 season and was selected for the MLB All-Star Game. The dancers she has worked with have gone on to American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Royal Ballet Academy London, Dutch National Ballet, Houston Ballet Academy, and the European School of Ballet.
Emily is a Comprehensive Certified Pilates Instructor through Balanced Body (500+ hrs) and the National Pilates Certification Program (NCPT). She also teaches the Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® Methods, Progressing Ballet Technique, and is certified through the Titleist Performance Institute to train and assess golfers. She recently completed Level 1 and Level 2 Scolio Pilates Teacher Training for Scoliosis Specific Exercise.
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Emily holds a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Florida State University, where she studied under Dance Medicine Specialist Dr. Thomas Welsch and Gyrotonic Master Trainer Anjali Austin. After graduating, she moved to New York City to dance professionally and work with dancers of the Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program. Emily moved to North Texas in 2017 and served as the Pilates Program Coordinator and Manager at Craig Ranch Fitness + Spa for 5 years. When the gym was sold to a corporate company, she opened McKinney Movement Center to continue offering an accessible, expansive, and life-changing approach to fitness and wellness in the community.
It's all about the people
Every instructor at MMC brings a unique depth of expertise — in movement, in the body, and in the human stories that bring clients through our door. Click any instructor to read their full story.
What it's like to train here
"I've taken Pilates classes at a number of studios — SolidCore, Session, etc. — but McKinney Movement Center is easily the best. The instructors know their clients, what their goals are, their pain points, and put together sessions that are thoughtful of each person. The owner makes it a point to talk to everyone, the instructors get to know me as a person, and I've made genuine friends in class."
"The instructors here really make a difference because they care. The attention to detail is there like nowhere else I have trained. One of their first questions when you walk in the door is 'is everything ok with you today?' At MMC it's not about the numbers."
"After back surgery I suffered depression and severe anxiety. I utilized Pilates and yin yoga to aid in my recovery. The MMC philosophy and welcoming environment increased my passion so much that I had to become a part of this beautiful movement — and now I teach here."
"I really like MMC Pilates classes because it is Traditional Pilates — not the sport kind. You will feel real change and adjustments and results. My back and neck always feel so much better after my sessions and my body feels so much more balanced."
Come meet the team
Your first consultation is free. 45 minutes with one of our certified instructors — no pressure, no commitment, just a real conversation about your goals.
Book My Free Consult