Have you ever been in a “tiny house”? I had seen them on television, yes, but I had never actually been inside one… until last week.
I recently met up with Donna Longo of Pennington, owner of “Integrated Fitness, Classical Pilates”, at her studio in the Shoppes at Pennington, where she has been teaching Pilates for many years. Donna told me that her mission is to carry on Joe Pilates’ legacy and vision of helping people live better, healthier, and more vibrant lives. But now, she’s taking that mission on the road – with a tiny house Pilates studio… on wheels!
When the COVID pandemic hit our area, Donna realized how vitally important it was that the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of Pilates be accessible to all. Around the same time, Donna’s father passed.
Donna had been inspired by her father’s work – he developed job training programs throughout the State for underserved communities. Her father’s community involvement led Donna to also actively pursue organizations where she felt her skills could be used to help those who truly needed it.
Donna connected with “LifeTies” (now “Center for Family Services”), becoming a mentor, and notes, “I was further inspired by the work these young people were doing to lead better, more productive lives, and overcome circumstances beyond my privileged comprehension”.
Pilates can be explained it in different ways to different people, Donna shared, but the founder of the practice, Joe Pilates, explained it simply, “Control your body with your mind.” He even coined a word for this: contrology.
Donna told me that “being able to give people a sense of control over their own lives, empowering them with confidence, self-esteem, and resilience, along with teaching them the skills to deal with their fear and uncertainty about the future” became the driving force behind her new mission to bring Pilates to as many people as possible.
Recognizing that meeting only twice a month couldn’t provide the full benefits of a regular Pilates practice, Donna sought a solution.
“So I decided to build a mobile Pilates studio, and expand my services.”
After several years of research, Donna decided on the concept of a tiny house on wheels. She felt this design would provide her with all the necessary space, like a real studio… just on a smaller scale. In addition, Donna felt the design would showcase how Joe Pilates’ genius equipment designs served the dual purpose of home furniture AND exercise apparatus.
After designing the concept, Donna found a builder in Colorado, Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses, to construct the shell and install electrical and plumbing. She then had it towed to New Jersey, where—armed with research, YouTube videos, and help from a handyman, her husband, and two sons—she completed the interior herself.
The entire studio is off the grid, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Donna is adding a solar panel to the roof to provide a renewable power supply, there’s a small propane tank to power the on-demand water heater and pump, Havelock sheep’s wool insulation, and it is NOAH certified (National Organization of Alternative Housing). And, in keeping with her goal of lessening the environmental impact, she will be towing it with her all-electric pick-up truck, the Rivian R1T.
With her fully mobile studio, Donna is bringing Pilates directly to underserved communities. She has already arranged visits to Anchor House (which provides safe housing and support for youth), PALS (Pennington Adult Living Services), and St. Peter’s Hospital, with plans to partner with additional non-profits in the future.
For more information about Donna’s mission and studio, visit https://www.integratedfitness.org.
All photos by Kim Robinson
