About Us

Callan Pinckney
Founder of The Callanetics Exercise Method

Born with spinal curvatures (scoliosis and swayback), one hip higher than the other, and feet turned inward so severely that she wore leg braces to her waist for seven years of her childhood, Callan went on to study classical ballet for twelve years with a protégé of the legendary Michel Fokine. A ninth generation American debutante, Callan hopped a freighter bound for Germany in 1961 and then hitchhiked around the world for more than 10 years, completely missing the turbulent sixties in this country.

She shoveled snow in London, tracked migrating herds in Central Africa, painted the decks of a freighter as a member of its crew, sold peanuts table to table in a fashionable Tokyo rooftop restaurant, and taught British pronunciation to four hundred Chinese children in Hong Kong. After years of poor diet and the extreme physical demands made on her body she was returned to America in a wheel chair from extreme pain in her knees and back.  She was advised to have surgery on her knees and back but decided to try exercise first.

After trying several forms of exercise, all of which made her condition and pain worse, she began to experiment with different exercise techniques combined with her previous ballet experience. She discovered that by performing some very small and precise movements not only was she pain free but her body looked and felt better than it had since she was a child! Her friends began to ask what she was doing to look so great. One by one they asked her to teach them and before long she was teaching fulltime from her New York apartment. After encouragement from her students she then pursued writing a book followed by her first video, Ten Years Younger In Ten Hours in 1986 which became the number one exercise video of the 1980’s and 90’s. At this time all of Callan's exercise programs are selling on Amazon.com and are in the top 1 1/2% of all Amazon Sales.  The exercises don't go away, because they work!!!

Callan, semi-retired with mother and sister

Callan since wrote several more books and developed new exercise programs thorugh the mid 1990's. She has taught exercise to diplomats and ambassadors, recording stars, actors and actresses, housewives, doctors, as well as to business and professional people of all sizes, shapes and ages. Callan together with Callanetics Senior Master Trainer, Kathleen Horstmeyer, and world re-known aerobics instructor Sara Kooperman has brought a newly updated toning program and a long awaited cardiovascular program. The finished products are two newly released DVDs, Callanetics Evolution which is a one hour toning program featuring new exercises and some original tried and true favorites. The second DVD, CardioCallanetics, consists of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise plus 30 minutes of toning. (See Products for more information.)

Callanetics Management Company, Inc.

The CallaneticsManagement Company, Inc., (CMC) was formed in 1994 and serves as the corporate manager for all The Callanetics  Exercise Method business operations and sales worldwide.  CMC owns and operates Callanetics Exercise franchises as well as Certified Callanetics Teacher Training.

CEO and President of CMC, Pat Klein with Founder, Callan Pinckney

CMC represents Callanetics Founder Callan Pinckney, and is entrusted by her to maintain the high quality of The Callanetics Exercise Method in the training of all Certified Callanetics Teachers and in the development of all new products world-wide. CMC does this in part, by retaining sole authority to train teachers and sell CallaneticsExercise franchises and licenses worldwide, with the exception of Sweden and South Africa.  CMC’s main goal is to maintain the safety and quality of Callanetics Exercises worldwide. Please contact CMC immediately to report any illegal training and/or franchise selling by sending an e-mail to CMC@callanetics.com.

Who's Who at CMC:

Patricia A. Klein
CEO and President

Callan Pinckney
Founder and Advisor

Kathleen Horstmeyer
Senior Master Trainer and Vice President of Exercise, Training And New Product Development

Laurie Shanahan
Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations

Judy Mooser
Master Trainer

Mallory Dodds
Master Trainer