West Hollywood, CA – February 11, 2026 – Camai Brandenberg quit her job in early 2020. She planned to become a Pilates instructor full-time. Then the world shut down.
“This is leading right up into the pandemic and then everything shuts down,” Brandenberg recalls. “So I’m like, ‘Okay, I quit my job and now what?’ This was the worst timing.”
She laughs about it now. But the disbelief still lingers.
Four years later, Brandenberg runs Embody Pilates. It is a Black-owned studio in West Hollywood. The space includes two rooms. One holds reformers. The other fits 18 people for mat classes. Her clients range from longtime followers to people who found her by searching “Black Pilates” on TikTok.
She built this without investors. She built it during a pandemic. Most importantly, she built it for people who, like her, never felt welcome in Pilates spaces before.
Why This Black-Owned Pilates Studio Stands Out in West Hollywood
Embody Pilates is not just another studio in LA. The city now has more Pilates studios than anywhere else in the world. Four studios exist on Brandenberg’s street alone.
Yet Embody feels different.
Brandenberg came from luxury hospitality. She worked at The Beverly Hills Hotel. That background shaped her approach. “It’s the experience that they’re looking for,” she says. “It’s not just the workout because everyone can do this.”
She does not worry about competitors. “This is just me doing this. I don’t know what everybody else has going on. So staying focused on what my vision is has really brought Embody into each chapter because my head isn’t spinning to keep up with what’s happening.”
Her vision centers on access. Mat classes remain reasonably priced. Reformer classes cost more due to equipment and attention. Both options exist for a reason. “Mat shouldn’t be $100 a class,” she states plainly.
From Track Athlete to Pilates Founder: Camai’s Origin Story
Brandenberg was always an athlete. She ran track at Ohio State. She competed in the heptathlon across seven events. The training was intense. Olympic-style lifts like clean and jerks took a toll.
“I was getting injured,” she shares.
Fitness instruction was never the plan. “I grew up in a very traditional household and from the Midwest, so I never thought being a trainer or anything like that never really crossed my mind.”
She discovered Pilates in her twenties. It kept her strong without destroying her body. But there was one major problem. “It was so expensive. It was not accessible. It was all those things, but I was like, ‘Wow, if I could do this more, this would be life changing.’”
After moving to Los Angeles, she taught yoga on the side. She worked full-time jobs simultaneously. She earned every certification Hot Eight Yoga offered. Clients followed her. Entrepreneurship always pulled at her. “I always wanted to be in business for myself,” she admits.
The Problem With Pilates: High Costs and Lack of Diversity
When Brandenberg pursued formal Pilates certification, something became clear immediately. The education was solid. But the environment was not.
“When I was going through my cert, I never really saw people that looked like me,” she explains. “And I’m aware of my own privileges because I’m athletic and I have this able body and all these things. And I kept thinking if I feel like this, it’s probably 10 times worse for other people, with microaggressions, just all the things.”
The numbers back her experience. According to Zippia, 71.3% of Pilates instructors in the U.S. are white. Only 7.1% are Black or African American. Another 10.6% are Hispanic or Latino.
Cost creates another barrier. Private Pilates sessions average $75 per hour nationally. Some studios charge upwards of $100 per class.
Brandenberg experienced this exclusivity firsthand during her training. She decided to change it.
Building Community First: How Embody Pilates Started During COVID
The pandemic forced everyone to pivot. Brandenberg was no exception. Embody Pilates launched online first. She taught mat workouts via Zoom. Clients used equipment they already had at home.
It worked.
The physical studio finally opened in February 2024. She started small with just the apparatus room. Her existing clients followed her. Some had trained with her since 2016.
The mat space arrived later. That is when growth accelerated. Eighteen spots on the mat versus three reformers changed everything. More people could access the work.
Brandenberg does not operate from a rigid business plan. She listens instead. “I let my first year also let my clients tell me what they need, right? If I’m so gung ho on like, ‘Oh, it has to be like this.’ I listen. I ask them what times they want classes. Is that too early? Should we add another of this? I’m doing real market research in real time because that’s the community that I’m serving.”
Affordable Pilates Classes Without Losing Quality
Pricing at Embody Pilates reflects Brandenberg’s values. Mat classes remain accessible. Reformer sessions cost more but come with specialized equipment and individual attention.
She refuses to follow industry pricing trends. “Mat shouldn’t be $100 a class,” she repeats. This is non-negotiable for her.
Quality never drops. Her hospitality background ensures that. Every client receives the same level of service. Whether they take mat or reformer. Whether they are new or have trained with her for nearly a decade.
The studio also looks different from others. The faces at the front desk reflect the diversity she wants to see in the space. Representation matters at every level.
Why “Black Pilates” Is More Than a Search Term
Brandenberg still cannot believe that “Black Pilates” is now searchable. Her studio appears when people look for it. “I will never get over that,” she says.
But visibility is not enough. “We can’t just be loud when they open,” she warns. “We have to also consistently support throughout.”
She carries this lesson forward. Embody Pilates continues growing on her terms. No investors. No pressure to expand too fast. Just steady, intentional community building.
Her journey from injured athlete to studio owner took years. It required faith during terrible timing. It demanded persistence when everything shut down.
Today, Camai Brandenberg runs one of West Hollywood’s only Black-owned Pilates studios. She built access and community from the ground up. And she is just getting started.
