If you’re looking to elevate your fitness routine, a new Hong Kong-based Pilates studio has quietly opened its doors in Bonifacio Global City. Elevate Pilates, located in the MDI Corporate Center, mirrors the sleek, minimalist look of its flagship studio in Hong Kong’s bustling Central district.
Founded by two former dancers of the Hong Kong Ballet, Elevate Pilates is built on the belief that movement should be efficient, balanced, and sustainable. The instructors have honed something akin to X-ray vision: an uncanny ability to detect even the subtlest muscular imbalances and postural misalignments—often before clients are even aware of them. But their work doesn’t end there. Through hands-on guidance and carefully tailored exercises, they help reshape the body from the inside out.
At the heart of their method is a focus on the often-overlooked intrinsic muscles—the deep stabilizers that support the joints and pelvic core. Strengthening these small but essential muscles lays the foundation for better balance, mobility, and long-term strength.
Each session is highly personalized. Instructors address posture, injury prevention, recovery from surgery, and bone health—including gentle protocols for those with osteoporosis. They also offer specialized care for women before and after childbirth. Every client, regardless of fitness level, receives individual attention to meet their body’s unique needs.
Founders David Claase and Carl Pacis
At the center of Elevate are Carlo Pacis and David Claase, whose decades-long careers in ballet brought them to this new chapter in wellness.
As a dance student at the University of the Philippines, Pacis showed formidable technique and an exceptional memory for choreography. In 1995, he earned a full scholarship to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, graduating in 1998 before joining the Hong Kong Ballet, where he danced for 12 years. During that time, he performed lead roles in Balanchine classics such as Rubies from Jewels and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, and even choreographed Swan Lake Act I—a rare honor that reflected the trust of then-artistic director John Meehan.
He later completed a master’s degree in dance majoring in choreography while still performing, but injuries eventually took their toll. “I was in pain for a year—my ankle, my back. I had surgery the day after my retirement show,” said Pacis. When he was 33, he held the record for the most surgeries in the Hong Kong Ballet: four orthopedic operations and a fractured spine that left him in a brace for three months.
David Claase assists Cyril Fallar on the Electric High Chair as Carlo Pacis looks on.
Through it all, David Claase remained by his side. The two have been partners—onstage and off—for 24 years.
Originally from South Africa, Claase danced with Joburg Ballet and London before being recruited by the artistic director of Hong Kong Ballet. Known for his expressive character work, he brought humor and heart to roles such as Goro, the pimp in Madame Butterfly; Jack, the foreign lover in The World of Suzie Wong; and Skinny, the comically awkward stepsister in Cinderella.
The two artists also collaborated creatively. When Pacis was invited by Ballet Philippines to choreograph A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he entrusted Claase to rehearse and fine-tune the production. “Artistically, we align so well,” he said.
After Pacis’ retirement, Claase followed two years later. Both transitioned naturally into Pilates instruction before deciding to open their own place.
On July 1, 2015, Elevate Pilates opened in Central Hong Kong. What began as a way to stay connected to movement has since become a mission: to help others build strength, recover from setbacks, and move with greater ease. Now, a decade later, that mission has found a new home in Manila.
Pacis and Claase didn’t start with a business plan or knowledge of profit margins. What they had was a dream, a little chutzpah, and the courage to take a risk.
Pacis and Claase didn’t start with a business plan or knowledge of profit margins. What they had was a dream, a little chutzpah, and the courage to take a risk
“We didn’t even know what ROI meant,” Pacis said, laughing. “We just knew we wanted to do something of our own. We thought, if we fail, it’s okay. We’re still young enough to fix it. But we didn’t want to live with the regret of never trying.”
Spacious studio with structural posts used to support mirrors for clients to check alignment
They began with a single square room in Central Hong Kong—just Pacis, Claase, a few Pilates machines, and their first handful of clients. Two years later, they expanded to accommodate group classes and hired their first instructors. By 2023, their 60-sqm studio had become too cramped, so they moved to a 130-sqm space. When even that proved insufficient, they took over an entire floor—330 sqm—right beside Tai Kwun, the historic former prison turned cultural hub. Today, Elevate’s Hong Kong branch has a faculty of nine instructors—some are Filipinos, while the new Philippine studio is staffed by five.
Pacis now oversees the business side—administration, operations—while Claase handles education, teacher development, and client acquisition. Their approach to growth, like their teaching, is thoughtful and methodical.
“Client acquisition isn’t just about word of mouth,” Claase explained. “You track where your leads come from, you nurture them into prospects, and then you convert them into clients. But the real key is retention—making sure what we offer is not just good enough, but something that truly adds value to their lives.”
That value, they say, goes far beyond the physical workout. “Yes, you pay for the membership,” Claase said. “But the work we do here should impact how you move, how you live, how you feel every day.”
While Elevate doesn’t rely heavily on advertising, it maintains a presence on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. Much of its success, however, has come from building a loyal community.
The teaching styles of their two studios reflect their respective histories. The Manila branch draws largely from Stott Pilates, while the Hong Kong team brings a more diverse, contemporary approach. “We all bring our own flavor,” Claase said. “It’s not so much what you teach, but how you teach. Just like in ballet—no one style is better than another. It’s the depth of understanding behind it that counts.”
Many of their instructors come from dance or movement backgrounds. “We’ve surrounded ourselves with people who’ve trained since they were young to understand what makes movement good,” Claase said. “Why does one do pirouette work and another doesn’t? That kind of eye—technique, timing, rhythm—translates directly into Pilates.”
Minimalist design of BGC studio, which echoes the Hong Kong studio
That attention to detail shapes every session. In Hong Kong, Elevate’s clients range from retirees in their 70s and 80s who perform difficult exercises to fight osteoporosis, to high-powered lawyers and bank executives seeking stress relief and pain management. There are lunchtime regulars from nearby offices, mothers returning to fitness after childbirth, and individuals recovering from injury or surgery who end up becoming lifelong clients.
“We’ve been lucky to build a reputation for post-trauma rehabilitation,” Pacis said. “We’ve helped people through recovery from surgery, and many of them stay on as regulars long after they’ve healed.”
Pacis often reflects on their years as professional dancers—years when the body felt invincible.
“You feel indestructible,” he said. “You’re the fittest you’ll probably ever be. You can jump, you can turn, you can kick—your body can do whatever you ask of it. And that physical strength makes your mental state strong too.”
It’s that same sense of physical and mental resilience that Pacis and Claase hope to instill in their clients. “It gives them the strength to face whatever they need to—whether it’s work stress, personal challenges, or simply wanting to run faster or play tennis better.”
But for both of them, Pilates isn’t only about the physical transformation. It’s equally about the mental shift that happens when people start to feel strong in their bodies.
“There’s this conversation that doesn’t get enough attention,” Claase added. “The way physical strength translates into mental strength. When you feel capable in your body, you start to feel capable in other areas of your life too.”
Corner wall with huge expanses of glass to bring more light
He’s seen it time and again: clients working through precise, demanding exercises who suddenly experience flashes of insight—solutions to problems, bursts of creativity, moments of clarity. “I’ve had clients say, ‘I know how to solve that problem now,’ right in the middle of a session,” Claase said, smiling. “One chef we work with suddenly figured out the missing ingredient for her recipe while we were training. When you’re completely present in your body, the mind starts to work differently, too.”
That, they believe, is the deeper promise of their work: not just helping clients move better, but helping them live better—stronger in body, clearer in mind, and more resilient in whatever life throws their way.
That’s the deeper promise of their work: not just helping clients move better, but helping them live better—stronger in body, clearer in mind, and more resilient in whatever life throws their way
Pacis and Claase had long toyed with the idea of bringing Elevate Pilates to Manila, and Bonifacio Global City—with its international community and accessibility—seemed like the natural place to start.
Both had been visiting Manila often, watching BGC evolve into what felt like a city on the rise. “It reminds us a little of Hong Kong,” David added. “The tall buildings, the wide roads, the energy—it has that same bustle.”
They found their ideal space at the MDI Corporate Center, which not only attracted the kind of clientele they hoped to serve, but also offered the sleek, airy aesthetic they envisioned: big windows, neutral walls, and the understated elegance of their Hong Kong studio.
But for Pacis and Claase, Elevate is more than just a place to work out. “We want people to fall in love with what Elevate represents for them,” Pacis said. “A safe space where you can leave behind the noise of daily life, focus on yourself, get stronger, fitter, more flexible, more stable—and feel empowered.”
Elevate Pilates director David Claase will conduct a Foot Release workshop for free on Sept. 26 at 12:30 pm and Sept 27 at 4 pm. Elevate is at MDI Corporate Center, Unit 803, 10th Avenue corner 39th, BGC. For details, contact tel. no. 0995-4218890 or email admin@elevateph.com.
