About Robin

Robin Schiff has been teaching the Alexander Technique for more than 20 years and began incorporating Pilates in to her work in 2004. She developed the Alexander Technique and Pilates programs at Brooklyn College for their Physical Education and Exercise Science Department where she has been teaching faculty and students since 2003. Previously Robin was on the faculty at Mannes College, The New School for Music, teaching the Alexander Technique to musicians in the regular and extension divisions. Other local teaching experience has included The Actor’s Studio, Brooklyn Parkinson’s Group, Kingsborough Community College, The American Center for the Alexander Technique, and teaching as a representative for the Division of Complementary Medicine at New York Methodist Hospital. Robin’s Pilates studio experience includes Movement’s Afoot in Manhattan, Bodycraft and Spoke the Hub in Park Slope. Robin enjoys teaching a diverse range of private students that include teens through older adults. Her students come for a variety of reasons, anything from neck, shoulder and back discomfort or conditions of the spine, to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Robin’s earlier work experience was as a music therapist with varied (psychiatric adult, geriatric and adolescent) populations and as music director for two Denver youth orchestras. She was a computer programmer/analyst for Saks Fifth Avenue in the late 1980’s.

Robin received her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Colorado State University in 1979. Coming to New York in the 1980’s and continuing her cello studies with Robert Gardner, Robin was experiencing pain when she played and eventually turned to the Alexander Technique, graduating from the three year and 1600 hour program in 1990. During her training Robin studied additionally with Judith Lebowitz. Her post-graduate studies included two years of exchanges with Pearl Ausubel, as well as ongoing lessons with John Nicholls, Rivka Cohen and many others. Robin’s Pilates training began and has continued with Lesley Powell and Doris Pasteur Hall. She has exchanged work and taken classes with many other Pilates teachers and is currently continuing her studies in Kinesthetic anatomy with Irene Dowd.

Robin is nationally certified by AmSAT, the American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, ACAT, the American Center for the Alexander Technique and Balanced Body, recognized by the Pilates Method Alliance.

Contact Robin