OUR STORY
Born from a shared love for movement, beauty, and presence, The Studio is a sanctuary for classical Pilates — a place where strength meets stillness, and discipline becomes devotion.
Founded in Helsinki by Olja, Merika, and Julia, the Studio grew from their individual journeys and a deep reverence for the classical method. United by a vision to preserve its authenticity, they created a space where the original teachings come alive — with precision, purpose, and grace.
Each session is an invitation to return to what is essential: breath, alignment, and presence. Through classical Pilates, we cultivate harmony between body and mind — restoring balance, vitality, and inner strength.
The Studio is more than a place to move.
It is a way of life — one defined by quality, consciousness, and care.
Welcome home to The Studio.
OUR TEACHERS
Merika Sjöberg
Merika has devoted her career to the study and teaching of movement since 2017. Beginning in fitness training, her path led through contemporary Pilates and ultimately to the classical method, which she sees as the most refined approach to guiding the body into its purest expression of movement.
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Her professional experience includes years of one-on-one instruction, pre- and post-natal guidance, and support in rehabilitation processes. These diverse experiences have shaped her teaching into a practice that is precise, supportive, and deeply personal.
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For the past two years, Merika has been training as a Romana’s Pilates Apprentice under Rebecca Convey at Kinetic Pilates in London. As a co-founder of The Studio Helsinki, she is committed to offering the highest quality of teaching and to honoring the original method with both integrity and care.
Olja Grishpun
Olja’s journey into Classical Pilates began as a return to truth — a way to unite body, mind, and spirit through precise movement and conscious presence. With a background in ballet and gymnastics, she has always viewed movement as both discipline and poetry, cultivating an intuitive understanding of the body’s intelligence.
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Her professional path began with Somatic Pilates training at Somatic Studio, where she explored movement through awareness and inner listening. Building on that foundation, Olja is now deepening her mastery through the Romana’s Pilates teacher training under Marjorie Oron in The Hague, following the original lineage of Joseph Pilates.
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As one of the co-founders of The Studio Helsinki, Olja is dedicated to preserving the purity of the classical method while infusing it with elegance and care. She believes Pilates is more than a practice — it is a meditation in motion, a way to return to oneself with strength, softness, and presence.
Julia Sjöman
Julia is a former international showjumper with a competitive career that includes winning both the Junior Finnish and Nordic Championships. She was first introduced to Pilates through sports-related injuries, discovering how the method could restore balance and resilience to her body. What began with modern Pilates evolved into a passion for the classical method, which she found profoundly transformative — not only in overcoming past injuries but also in enhancing her athletic performance.
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Passionate about sharing these benefits, Julia believes classical Pilates is a powerful tool for athletes and non-athletes alike, helping to build strength, control, and awareness in every body.
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She is currently completing her Romana’s Pilates Apprentice training under Rebecca Convey at Kinetic Pilates in London, where she continues to deepen her knowledge and skills within this internationally respected lineage.