Williamsburg is about to get stronger — and more flexible.
A new Pilates studio is set to energize the neighborhood this fall. Shine Movement Pilates, founded by longtime instructor and devotee Shing Yiing Ong, will officially open its doors Sept. 23 with a mission to help New Yorkers build strength, confidence and community.
For Ong, the studio is the realization of a dream more than a decade in the making. After moving to New York in 2011 and spending years in the corporate world, she told Brooklyn Paper the dream of creating a Pilates studio never left her.
“This has always been my dream,” Ong said. “Ever since I started Pilates 10 years ago, it’s been helping me. I always had that entrepreneurial spirit when I was [working] in corporate and I’m always into the health, wellness and fitness space.”
Ong’s personal transformation now drives her mission to make Pilates more accessible and welcoming, particularly for mothers.
“I always want to help [others] because it’s helped me so much, especially through pregnancy,” she said. “It’s not just about fitness — I’ve gained confidence from the inside out, not just from movement, but because of that, I can achieve many more things.”
Shine Movement Pilates is guided by its tagline, “Move with purpose, shine with confidence.” Ong designed the space to embody that philosophy, offering a mix of equipment-based and mat classes for all levels. The studio features reformers, towers, chairs, barrels and a terrace where outdoor mat sessions will be held in the warmer months.
Each class is structured around the letters in “SHINE” — strength, harmony, inspiration, nurture and endurance. Each centers around different aspects of Pilates, from strength training to pre- and postnatal recovery classes.
“Regardless of levels, you can modify [exercises] however you want,” Ong said. “All the instructors, including myself, are very knowledgeable.”
For newcomers, she hopes to dispel ideas that Pilates is too simple or intimidating. “Pilates is still hard and difficult in a way because it sculpts your small muscles.”
She used an anecdote from founder Joseph Pilates: “You don’t see the results right away, but in 10 classes you feel the difference. In 20 classes, you see the difference. In 30 classes, you have a totally new body.”
Beyond movement, Shine Movement Pilates is also meant to serve as a community hub. The two-level studio includes a tea station and special programming aimed at families, such as Pilates-and-craft sessions where parents can exercise while their children take part in supervised activities.
“I want [clients] to feel the overall experience,” Ong said. “We provide tea, water and things that make them feel like they come into a home versus a workout studio.”
Shine Movement Pilates’ spirit of community will be on full display during the grand opening week, beginning Sept. 23, with a series of collaborations and local businesses.
For the founder, the most rewarding part of the journey is watching clients discover the same benefits that changed her own life.
“The most exciting part is seeing all the machines being built up, and people are excited to come and try Pilates,” Ong said. “When I see the clients enjoy the experience, really love the class, that’s the most exciting part for me — that people come back again and again.”
