Ilke Aldemir

Pilates in Dubai, Mostly Outdoors

Ilke Aldemir teaches Pilates around the world, though she'll move outdoors whenever the day allows, a park, a beach, an open field. She's built her practice alongside scoliosis and chronic back pain, which taught her early what movement is actually for. She wants the quiet and the adrenaline both, and doesn't see why she should have to choose.

Where do you practice, and what does that space look like?

"Whenever I can, I move outdoors. But I don't think movement should be limited by where it happens, a studio, a living room, an open field, can all become a space for practice. What matters is how the space makes me feel, and whether it lets me pay attention to my body."

What does a typical session look like?

"Strength, mobility, body awareness. I like to balance challenge with ease, to let people explore what they're capable of while staying honest about how they feel that day. I'm not chasing perfect form. I care more about the quality of the movement. Every body is different and every day is different, so I tell people to adapt. We always end with a short meditation."

What drew you to the kind of movement you do?

"Movement has been my best teacher. It started as a love of sport and turned into a way of understanding myself. I live with scoliosis and chronic back pain, and movement showed me what it could do, not only build strength, but manage pain, build resilience, hold things in balance. I value the calm and the intuition. But I'm just as drawn to the other side of it: the dopamine, the adrenaline, the feeling of consciously pushing past where I thought the edge was."

What does consistency mean to you?

"It isn't perfection. It's showing up again, even when the motivation isn't there. Some days that's a full workout. Some days it's a walk or a stretch. Consistency is keeping the relationship with your body going over the long term, and respecting what it needs. When you stop measuring it against performance and comparison, movement stops being something you have to do and becomes something you get to do."

What's always with you when you move?

"Curiosity. Pilates, running, dancing, hiking, skiing, or something I've never tried before, I move with curiosity and openness. It keeps me learning, and keeps me closer to the experience than to the result."

Follow along Ilke on Instagram.

Photos by Swapnil Ranjan.