Leslie Parker

STUDIO DIRECTOR - PILATES, YOGA, BUDOKON

Leslie Parker is the director of the Mindful Movement Centre, Toronto. A former professional ballet dancer, she has been teaching yoga, Pilates, and body conditioning for more than two decades. She uses her extensive knowledge of different movement forms to teach functional movement, increase flexibility, and treat injury.

Throughout her career with leading ballet companies in the United States and Europe she drew on Pilates to enhance her dance practice and to rehabilitate serious injuries. 

The experience of treating her own injuries inspired Leslie to specialise in injury rehabilitation. She brings real expertise and compassion to this work and collaborates with doctors, physiotherapists, athletic therapists, and osteopaths to develop healing programs. Her long career in bodywork has also given her invaluable skills in assessing people’s bodies. Leslie believes the breathwork, relaxation, and infinite kindness contained in yogic teachings complement her Pilates and bodywork skills. Leslie teaches restorative, vinyasa (flow), and Ashtanga yoga.

In 2003 she founded Mindful Movement in London, England, a company that specialised in individual Pilates and Yoga programs. Her clientele (both male and female) included people from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. Athletes, executives, and artists came to Leslie to maintain fitness, reshape their bodies, rehabilitate injuries, and to treat chronic pain and stress. To help her students further their practice, Leslie in 2004 founded Pure Retreats, a travel company that took participants to Morocco, France, Italy, and various places within Great Britain on yoga and Pilates retreats.

Leslie’s love of movement also led her to the practice of Budokon, which she studied under Sensei Jamal Pender and Kancho Cameron Shayne. She has since become a certified Budokon instructor and earned her red belt, as well as her Budokon Yoga certification. She is currently the highest ranking Budokon instructor in Ontario.

Leslie looks forward to welcoming you to the Mindful Movement Centre, where she hopes you will enjoy a friendly and nurturing atmosphere focused on helping you reach optimal levels of fitness and flexibility.