RAEL ISACOWITZ, M.A, NCPT

Early Life

Rael danced professionally for many years and became the head of the dance department at a performing arts college in Australia. It was there he opened a Pilates studio and taught mat classes as part of the college’s curriculum. He began working with athletes, dancers and physical therapists and was instrumental in helping Pilates be integrated into one of the largest and most prominent physical therapy schools in Australia.

Rael came to the U.S. at the invite of an orthopaedic surgeon who asked him to create a rehabilitation program based on Pilates. It was at that time that Rael began to shift his main focus to Pilates rather than dance.

Recognized as an industry leader in Pilates, Rael was the first Pilates professional to be invited to mainland China. “For me, this was an amazing experience and honour. This is a country so big with an enormous population, and I was the first Pilates person to be officially invited there by a government authority,” he says, recalling the memory.

Founding BASI

Rael founded BASI (Body Arts and Sciences, International) in 1989 and over the past 30 years, since he began his study in Pilates, he has made an indelible mark in the industry. “I have tried to keep BASI Pilates quite intimate,” says Rael, even with its spread across 40+ countries. BASI is currently headquartered in Orange County, California and has 120+ host studio locations worldwide.

Programs

Besides establishing a highly acclaimed Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training Program and countless workshops and courses, Rael has created the Legacy Program, comprised of Mentor, Master I, Master II, and Honors, a four-part voyage of discovery into the most advanced realms of all facets of the Pilates method.

Achievements

Rael’s contributions to Pilates as a teacher, author, and innovator are recognized and respected throughout the Pilates industry. His passion for the art of Pilates is well known, as is the unique athleticism he brings to the method—a synthesis of body, mind, and spirit. Creativity and energy suffuse his work, and teaching is, for Rael, the ultimate gift.