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), Pilates for Men (2007) and The Complete Pilates Tutor (2014). He runs a training course for Pilates instructors in London and supervises courses in both Athens and Istanbul. As well as running his own studios, Alan and his assistants teach in dance schools and designated Pilates studios internationally, and he regularly presents at Balanced Body’s international Pilates On Tour.