For four years, Karen Lord had a discreet Pilates studio in the Meatpacking District. “I was the one commercial tenant in a residential building,” she said. “It was just me, one-on-one with clients. I called it part Pilates, part therapy.” The business grew quickly—with a base including celebrities and the fashion world—and it wasn’t long before she considered moving to a larger, street-level studio.

The result is Karen Lord Pilates Movement, now open on Duane in the former RH Gallery (and before that, Raimo Pizzeria). The space is 3,200 square feet, more or less equally divided on two levels. Its history as a gallery is evident in the clean lines, white walls, and airy ceilings—although when I said that she didn’t seem to have to do much to convert it, Lord demurred. “It doesn’t feel that way when you do it all yourself!” The light is very nice inside, but something about it—possibly the silver bowl light bulbs, which are great because you don’t have to stare into bright lights when you’re on your back—turned my photos a touch fuzzy.

With eight Reformer machines and five Towers, upstairs is mainly devoted to group classes; group mat classes will be held downstairs (there’s room for 25 mats), where you’ll also find two Cadillacs and an alcove that’s going to be converted into a private studio. Prenatal and postnatal classes are in development (“I don’t like to say ‘postpartum’ because that sounds like depression”), and there’s an intense 45-minute Pilates for Lunch class. “I’m a classically trained instructor, and we’re deeply rooted in the classical, but we’re also progressive—our goal is to keep it moving. That’s why Movement is in the name.”

Lord says her goal is to bring Pilates to as wide an audience as she can—indeed, starting as soon as next week, the studio will offer pay-what-you-can mat classes, with a suggested donation of $10. “I really believe in Pilates. It saved my life. It was my spirituality.”

Karen Lord Pilates Movement is at 137 Duane (between W. Broadway and Church), 917-388-2540; karenlordpilatesmovement.com.

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