Carly Farmer, Owner & Pilates Teacher
Born and raised in Newport Beach, CA ~ Carly spent her adolescence dancing competitively. She entered Loyola Marymount University as a dance major, but ended up graduating with a Business Administration bachelors degree in 2008. During her time at LMU, she became certified through STOTT Pilates and began teaching part time at studios both in Los Angeles & Newport Beach on the weekends. Shortly after college, she entered into her 200 hour Yogaworks teacher training. She created & opened a Pilates & yoga studio in Newport Beach in 2010. She housed many of the master teachers in Orange County including Jill Ann Arnold, Nicolette David, Simon Ballard & Sarah Spataro. During her time at this studio, she also became a certified holistic health coach through The Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She co-created a wellness series & program with her colleague, Jill Ann Arnold. Carly sold this studio in the fall of 2018. During her sabbatical, still thirsty for knowledge, she became a Yin certified yoga teacher and participated in the BASI comprehensive Pilates teacher training program. Carly moved up to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2020, during the pandemic, and opened a small & boutique Pilates studio in Los Olivos. She sold this studio in the summer of 2022 and immersed herself into the wine & music world by booking & curating the music & wine at Lost Chord Guitars in Solvang, CA. She also started cooking healthy food for private clients, sharing her love & knowledge of medicinal foods.
Carly has led and hosted numerous retreats across the globe, workshops and wellness series, and is devoted to embodying and examining the connection between the mind, body & spirit. She has a soft & gentle approach, but is precise and strong in her intentions. She believes that we are all unique individuals made up of a combination of art & science, with a strong baseline of love. She’s treated each break between studios as sacred time to peel back layers within herself & the Pilates work. Teaching and expressing through beautiful & luxurious movement will forever be one of her favorite and most fulfilling lines of work, service & expression.
“My intention as a teacher is for you to feel fluid in your body and build a bridge between your mind, body & spirit. May you find harmony amongst your oppositions; finding length in your strength, softness in your tensions, fluidity in your precision, and lightness in your depth. Music has always moved me (must be the dancer in me), so it’s part of my sessions - not necessarily to escape, but to inspire, stimulate and connect. I encourage you to stay connected and let it feel good at the same time. I hope you understand that the way I teach is just my expression of Pilates. I will always honor the Masters and the ones that came before me. I deeply respect the practice & am committed to always learning, growing & transcending. I will forever treat Pilates as an art form & respect the science. The real luxury is in the skin. Here’s to a healthy & luxurious mind, body & soul.”
— Carly Farmer
Mindy Horwitz, Pilates Teacher
For 60 years Mindy Horwitz has taught, performed and
choreographed nationally and internationally in ballet,
modern, jazz and theatre techniques. After rehabilitating
from multiple injuries, Mindy discovered the benefit of
Pilates. She became a certified instructor in 1996 through
Long Beach Dance Conditioning and has since continued
her education with the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer
Program, Pilates for Golf, Pilates for Equestrians and
McEntire Neuro-movement accreditations. In 2002, Mindy
became a certified Level I GYROTONIC instructor. She
has since become a Level II instructor specializing in
hip/knee rehabilitation, spinal mobility, and modalities.
Mindy strives to meet her clients’ needs for developing
strength, balance, postural alignment and mobility. Her
years of experience in the dance world, have given her a
trained eye for analyzing the body and practical
knowledge for getting the most of her clients.
Mindy owned Simpatico Pilates in Montecito, California
from 2010 through 2023. She and her family moved to
Santa Ynez in July 2024 in order to build a family
compound. The compound now consists of 5 adults, 2
young children and 4 dogs. She also enjoys traveling,
dabbling in the arts and listening to classical music. Her
life is busy and full of joy.
Andrea Turnbull, Pilates Teacher
Andrea Turnbull is a native of the Santa Ynez Valley. An athlete her whole life, she was first introduced to Pilates as a student athlete at the University of Georgia where she competed on the women's NCAA Women's Equestrian Team. As a two time National Champion, her riding was supplemented with weight training and Pilates. Andrea found that the precision and focus of core balance was extremely beneficial to her riding and wellbeing inside and outside the arena.
Andrea has been instructing for 10 years. She studied contemporary Pilates through Body Arts and Sciences International (BASI) and most recently completed a Master's Mentorship in Classical Pilates with Lesley Logan. In addition to pilates instruction Andrea is a trained Fascia Stretch Therapist.
Pilates has been a game changer for Andrea and her love of movement. Not only has Pilates improved her riding abilities, but has healed and prevented injury as well as strengthened her mind body connection. Her goal as an instructor is to share her love of Pilates with her clients and to help improve their quality of movement by bringing awareness and instilling confidence.
Alix Marks, Pilates Teacher
I was born and raised in the Santa Ynez Valley, where I grew up dancing primarily ballet at the Los Olivos Dance Gallery. It was through dance where I realized how healing movement was for me. After graduating, I danced for Santa Barbara’s Fusion Dance Company for two years before retiring due to a knee injury. Shortly after, I discovered Pilates and I immediately fell in love with the work. I love how it gave me the opportunity to continue my love for movement in a way that supported my body and felt safe.
My passion for the work led me to start my training with BASI (Body Arts and Science International) where I studied under the mentorship of Constance Holder, the Director of Education. Shortly after, I dove even deeper into the field and got my comprehensive certification with PEI (Pilates Education Institute). In 2021, I established my personal studio, offering individual Pilates apparatus sessions. Here, I applied my expertise to assist individuals in improving their strength, flexibility, and movement confidence.
As an instructor, it is my mission to provide a exercise regimen aimed at enhancing an individuals' quality of life through fundamental movement principles. All while providing personalized support and the highest level of care tailored to each individual's specific goals and needs. I am passionate about helping people live a life free from pain, and to help them feel connected to their bodies in a way they never have before. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach group classes at Embody, where I can continue to support this wonderful community I’ve grown up with!