PRESENTERS
Rael Isacowitz, M.A. 
Rael Isacowitz is widely known as a teacher of teachers and recognized internationally an expert in the Pilates method. He has lectured and taught in universities, colleges, clinics and studios in Australia, England, Israel, South Africa, and throughout the United States.
He received his teaching credentials (1978) and Bachelor of Education degree in Israel at the prestigious Wingate Institute of Physical Education, where he was later invited to join the teaching faculty and lectured for three years. Rael completed his Master of Arts degree in Dance at the University of Surrey, England (1986).
Incorporating yoga, dance, athletics, academic knowledge, and more than 25 years of teaching experience, Rael founded Body Arts and Science International Certification (BASIC). The beginnings of the organization were in Australia in 1989, being one of the first curriculum based Pilates teacher training programs in the world. BASIC is recognized as a contemporary and cutting edge approach to the works of Joseph Pilates, and is an amalgamation of the pure form of Pilates and current scientific knowledge. In 1991 he established On Center Conditioning, a Pilates studio in Southern California, which, has helped, set the standard in the industry since its inception and has served as the international headquarters for BASIC.
Rael has worked extensively on five continents in the fields of dance and Pilates and has received international recognition from the medical, dance and athletic communities, as well as from his peers and colleagues. He was a featured presenter at the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science in Tel Aviv, Israel (1995) and at the University of California, Irvine (1996). Rael has also published several articles and been featured in numerous publications dedicated to health and fitness. Rael served on the Board of the Pilates Method Alliance, a nonprofit organization of professionals dedicated to unity, professionalism and to advocating educational standards in the Pilates community. He continues to support the organization serving as a committee chairperson.
With a rich background as a professional dancer, teacher and master of the Pilates method, Rael brings to his teaching unparalleled expertise combined with a passion for his work, which he shares generously with all. Rael combines an extremely busy international teaching schedule with his wife Adelle and his son Elan whom he regards as undoubtedly his greatest achievement.
Alan Herdman 
Alan Herdman studied at the London School of Contemporary Dance and was working as a teacher and dancer when, in the late 1960s, he was invited to New York to learn about the Joseph Pilates Method. There he worked intensively with Carola Trier and Bob Fitzgerald, two instructors who had been trained by Pilates himself. Although well-regarded amongst New York's dance fraternity, Pilates was unknown in the UK at that time and Alan returned in 1970 to set up Britain's first-ever Pilates studio. Among his first clients were actors, dancers and singers, but word soon spread as doctors and physiotherapists began recommending Pilates to patients struggling with chronic injuries.
Alan now lectures on Pilates around the world, and he has written several successful books, including The Pilates Directory (2004), The Gaia Busy Person's Guide to Pilates (2003) and Pilates: Creating the Body You Want (1999). He runs a training course for Pilates instructors and, as well as running his own studios, he and his assistants teach in dance schools and designated Pilates studios internationally. Pilates teaching staff at both Champneys Health Resorts and Shrubland Hall Health Clinic are personally trained by Alan Herdman.
l Herdman
Karen Clippinger, MSPE 
Karen Clippinger's life long work has focused on application of scientific principles to enhance alignment and movement while reducing the risk of injury. In the past 10 years she has utilized Pilates-based repertoire to work with individuals ranging from clients with chronic pain to elite athletes and professional dancers. She is currently on the faculty at California State University Long Beach, where she teaches dance science and Pilates-based courses.
Prior to this appointment, Ms. Clippinger worked as a clinical kinesiologist for 22 years, including Loma Linda University Medical Center and several sport medicine clinics in Seattle. She has also served as the consultant for the Pacific Northwest Ballet, U.S. Race Walking Team, U.S. Weightlifting Federation, and California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. Ms. Clippinger has given over 350 presentations in Japan, Canada, and the greater U.S. She currently is co-editor-in chief of the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, and previously wrote an exercise column for Shape Magazine for four years.
Richard Orbach 
Richard was born in New York and attended New York
University School of the Arts. His first major break was in the film "Jesus
Christ Superstar" in the role of Apostle John. He has also appeared on
Broadway as Action in "West Side Story" and Larry, Al, and Greg in "A
Chorus Line" He also worked with
Mr. Haim Topol on "Fiddler on the Roof" in the Australian production and
before that on the Israeli production. Richard has toured the world with
numerous dance companies such as "The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre",
"The Joffrey Ballet", and "The Maki Asami Ballet" of Tokyo. In
Israel he was a member of the "Bat Sheva" Co. for 5 years, and the "Bat
Dor" Co. for 3 years.
For more than 30 years as a
professional dancer and pilates practitioner,
and now as a teacher, he brings his art into his work and a personal sensitivity
and understanding into his relationships. "It has been the key to my sanity and
of course my physical well being during and after my dance career."
He is honored to be a part of the BASI team
as a senior faculty member and
looks forward to many years of work together. After recently completing at the
Technion University in Israel, certification in cardiac
rehabilitation, Richard has joined with Hadasah Hospital in Jerusalem to
open his second studio.
Vivi Letsou, M.A., B.S. 
Symposium Director
Vivi is the director of the Yoga & Pilates program at NYSY Studios in Athens. Before opening this center in 2004 with her husband Eraj Shakib, they used to live and work in San Francisco, California.
Vivi left Greece at an early age to follow a multi-disciplinary education that included a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering, an A.A. in Business, and a Master’s degree in Theater Arts. Later she attended courses on Asian Healing Arts & Massage, as well as several teacher training programs for Yoga and Pilates.
With great enthusiasm and love for people, culture, and spiritual upliftment, Vivi always worked to create plattforms for meetings of teachers and students, and artists with audiences. She founded San Jose’s first ethnic dance school in the 80s, and worked for nearly 20 years as a director and producer of films, documentaries, and plays. Some of her films and political documentaries were screeend all over the world and won awards. She also produced large shows, exhibitions, and business conferences.
The heavy demands of her producing career brought her to exhaustion many times, but yoga and the practice of Zen always saved her. That’s why she finally decided to teach yoga and pilates full-time, and to create a center that would offer all these great healing practices to the people in Greece.
Her training in Pilates includes studies with the Physical Mind Institute, Ellie Herman Pilates, and BASI. Wanting to share the benefits of Pilates education with many people in Greece and abroad she organized this Pilates Symposium and is looking forward to seeing great teachers and practitioners coming together to cultivate knowledge, experience, and friendship. She hopes that many people will feel the positive waves from this special gathering.
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