In 1999, Denver advertising executive Marcia Polas was given a package of Pilates sessions as a birthday gift. Hooked after her first class, she noticed a link between the right kind of exercise and a release of stress. Six months and a serious car accident later, a Pilates-trained physical therapist used Pilates exercises to rehabilitate Marcia's back and neck injuries.

In 2002, once again crisscrossing the country for her career and still suffering from chronic pain, she landed in Cincinnati, Ohio. There, she found a Pilates home and instructors who helped her to become pain-free. She eventually joined an intensive four-month training program to become a Pilates instructor. After a year of apprenticing at Pendleton Pilates, while working full-time in advertising, she decided to follow her passion. In 2004, Marcia left her 14-year career and became a full-time Pilates instructor, running her own studio for two years in Central Ohio before returning to Denver.

She now splits her time between private clients and corporate groups, bringing Pilates to her clients in their offices. She works to help clients who don't have the time or inclination to go to a studio to increase their balance, strength and flexibility. Her corporate clients take class during the work day, learning how to relieve stress and bring their new found body awareness into every part of their lives. She finds that women and men who can take a few hours a week to focus on what's going on inside their own bodies, not only get physically stronger, but also become better managers of their overall wellness.

She credits her personal Pilates practice with first healing her body, next discovering her spirit, and finally, revealing her calling in life. She believes that when you listen to your body and spirit, the entire world opens up to you.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks
video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently
organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and
regulations)