Balanced Body Timeline

Picture of Balanced Body office wall with timeline events

1970’s Beginnings

Model standing next to waterbed in old advertising photo
1975

Who Didn’t have a Waterbed in the 70s?

Ken builds waterbeds in Hollywood as Liquid Sleep Interiors. A customer, Isa Bohn, asks him to build a piece of equipment for her called a Reformer. (Ken’s response: “A what?”) He agrees. And we’re off!

Child-sized Pilates equipment
1976

Helping Kids in Need

Ordered by Good Samaritan Hospital and funded with a donation from Vidal Sassoon, Ken designed and built child-sized Pilates equipment for the treatment of children with neuromuscular disorders.

Current Concepts sign
1976

The Birth of “Current Concepts”

To support a more diversified business, Ken changes the company name to Current Concepts. His brother Dave designs the new logo. Ken begins to work with Stephan Frease, a Pilates instructor and expert at equipment function and safety, and develops adjustable footbars, standing platforms and the fifth yellow spring.

1980’s Important Connections

Ken on forklift with nephew and Ken on bike
1980

Sacramento Here We Come!

Current Concepts moves from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

Ken took nephew, Andrew, for a spin on the forklift at the first Sacramento location. Ken also acquired his first “company car”—a bicycle found in the dumpster and dubbed the “Sea Princess”.

B+W photo of Pilates equipment in use

1984

Pilates Starts to Take Flight

The credibility of Pilates grows when St. Francis Memorial Hospital Center for Sports Medicine in San Francisco opens its Dance medicine division. This is the first use of Pilates equipment in a medical facility, and also introduces Ken to industry leaders Elizabeth Larkam, Patrice Whiteside and Dr. James Garrick.

Early Fletcher Reformer notes
1984

Partnering with Ron

Pilates elder Ron Fletcher contacts Ken: “Can you make customized equipment for my studio?” Their collaboration began with these first measurements.

1990’s Innovation, Organization, The Lawsuit

Warehouse with inventory
1990

Continuing to Grow

Current Concepts moves to larger location and prints its first catalog.

Old magazine article a Reformer
90s

Pilates Becomes Mainstream

The relationship with St. Francis leads to equipment innovations that become industry staples: jump board, oversized standing platform, ropes instead of straps, and risers instead of casters.

Hollywood stars start taking Pilates classes with Ron Fletcher, Kim Lee, Stephan Frease and Isa Bohn, which generates media interest for the method.

Publicity in the late 1980s and early 1990s: the Los Angeles Times, Self Magazine, American Fitness, Life Magazine and Shape.

Certification cards
1991

The First Certification

Joan Breibart, Michelle Larsson and Ken found the Pilates Institute (now PhysicalMind Institute), which offers the first organized Pilates certification program.

VHS video cover
1991

The First Pilates Video

Current Concepts releases the very first Pilates workout video in the world: “Studio Reformer Techniques with Elizabeth Larkam.”

Advertising flyer
1992

Polestar and 1-800-PILATES

Brent Anderson, Elizabeth Larkam, and Ken launch Polestar, a worldwide provider of rehabilitation-based Pilates education.

Ken also establishes 800-PILATES and becomes an important pre-internet resource for people to find a nearby Pilates studio.

Ken's first patent
1994

Ken Gets His First Pilates Patents

The first Pilates patents issued since the death of Joseph Pilates in 1967, including the Infinity Footbar. In the same year, Current Concepts introduces the TSSR (Tubular Steel Studio Reformer).

Joseph Pilates Foundation group photo
1994

Recognizing Joe Amid the Trademark Lawsuit

The non-profit Joseph H. Pilates Foundation is formed to give Current Concepts and our community a way to recognize Joseph Pilates’ accomplishments at a time when one could be sued for using the term “Pilates.”

Left to right: Ken Endelman, Elizabeth Larkam, [unknown], Brent Anderson, Marika Molnar, Alan Herdman, Marie-José Blom.

Ken revealing Balanced Body sign
1998

Ladies and Gentlemen – Balanced Body!

Current Concepts becomes Balanced Body—a name better suited to describe our mission and ideals.

Woman on original Allegro 1
1999

The Allegro Changes the Game

The Allegro® Reformer is launched at IDEA World. An instant success, it helps Balanced Body stay profitable during the lawsuit.

The Allegro also opens doors to the commercial fitness market for Pilates. Bally Total Fitness, then the world’s largest commercial fitness operator with over 400 locations, launches a nationwide Pilates program with the Allegro. Many others follow!

2000s Lawsuit Ends and New Doors Open

The Pilates Trademark Cancellation Newsletter
2000

Victory!

After more than four years of litigation, the Pilates Trademark lawsuit ends. The court decides that the term “Pilates” cannot be trademarked. All are now free to use it.

Group photo
2000

The Birth of the PMA

At this party celebrating the end of the trademark lawsuit, a discussion between Deborah Lessen, Kevin Bowen, Colleen Glenn and Ken Endelman considers the possibility of a unified certification agency for Pilates instructors. This discussion marks the genesis of the Pilates Method Alliance.

Seen left to right: Ken Endelman, Deborah Lessen, Robert Fogelnest, Gordon Troy

Ken with Claudio Soares
2000

Expanding Our Borders

Via a license agreement with Physio Pilates to manufacture Balanced Body equipment in Brazil, we begin a long-term (and ongoing) partnership and friendship — a significant step in our international growth.

Seen here: Ken with Claudio Soares, in 2007.

Screenshot of BB's first website
2001

BB Goes Digital

Balanced Body begins its online existence as www.pilates.com.

Close up photo of drill bits
2002

Striving to Go Green

Balanced Body moves to a 77,000 sq. ft. location on Ferguson Avenue in Sacramento, our home for 12 years.

We begin implementing green business practices with the purchase of our first CNC machine and the use of sustainable wood for our Reformers.

BB staff group photo
2002

Our BB World Continues to Grow

Our first international container is shipped to Israel followed by another to Australia.

Balanced Body’s innovative Infinity Footbar is inspired by Christine Egan’s work with a juvenile adaptive ski client.

The first Body Mind Spirit Conference is held this year, co-chaired by Nora St. John. Balanced Body is the exclusive equipment sponsor.

Unpacking a moving truck on a city street
2004

The Birth of Pilates on Tour®

Our first Pilates on Tour continuing education conference is held in San Francisco.

Ken posing with an IQ Reformer
2004

The First Home Reformer

The IQ® Reformer is launched. It is the first major Pilates apparatus intended for the home market.

Ken in a cervical collar
2005

Recovering from Injury with…Pilates!

Ken suffers a cervical spine injury while bodysurfing. He makes a full recovery with Pilates (of course) and a little help from his friends. In this photo, employees at Balanced Body helped him decorate for the holidays.

First faculty training group photo

2006

The Debut of BB Education

Balanced Body launches Pilates education with curriculum developed by Nora St. John. Shown here: our first faculty training.

Dave, Nora and. Al in China
2006

Off to China!

Balanced Body visits China for the first time and opens new doors.

Left to right: Dave Littman, Nora St. John, Al Harrison

EXO Chair
2007

Here Comes the EXO Chair

The popular EXO® Chair makes its debut. It’s the most compact, durable Pilates chair on the market, and offers a ton of exercise options – including many that could only previously be done on a Reformer!

Pilates Arc Launch
2008

And Here Comes the Pilates Arc

Answering our customer’s requests for a portable, lightweight Step Barrel, Balanced Body introduces the Pilates Arc®.

Wrap award
2009

The 1st of 3 Waste Reduction Awards

We receive the first of our prestigious WRAP awards, given by the state of California to recognize our achievements in waste reduction. We would go on to win 2 more.

2010s Expanding Beyond Pilates

CoreAlign Mindful Movement
2010

CoreAlign® and Mindful Movement

In collaboration with Jonathan Hoffman, PT, we launch CoreAlign®, adding a new movement method to our core Pilates offering.

BB booth in exhibit hall
2010

A New Look and International Recognition!

We re-brand, and along with a new look, our transition to a mindful movement company is official.

Our goal is to discover new ways to invite people into our healthy community.

Ken at IHRSA
2010

Named IHRSA Associate Member of the Year, Balanced Body is recognized for contributions that have changed the shape of the fitness industry.

People meeting in a conference room
2011

The Allegro 2 Reformer Brings a new Level of Glamour to Pilates Reformers

Created in collaboration with internationally acclaimed design form, IDEO, the all white Allegro 2 Reformer quickly establishes itself as an industry icon.

Mindful Movement MOTR
2014

Expanding our Mindful Movement Business

MOTR® and the Bodhi Suspension System® join our product and education offerings — further expanding Balanced Body’s footprint in the movement category.

BB reception area
2014

New (and Bigger) Digs!

We moved into a sleek, new 100,000 sq.ft. building. Our 1,000 solar panels generate most of the energy we consume.

Map of the world with customer countries highlighted
2015

A Worldwide Presence

Our customers now live and work in over 100 countries. Together, we are changing the world through movement. (Yes, we still have a little work to do, especially in Greenland!)

Rialto Reformer launch
2018

The Rialto® Reformer is Introduced

Created for price-sensitive customers, the Rialto Reformer becomes one of our more unique and popular products. A high-quality wooden frame at an affordable price.

Contrology Launch
2018

Contrology® is Launched

Balanced Body enters the classical Pilates market, working closely with Pilates elder Jay Grimes and master Pilates educator Karen Frischmann to create a new line of apparatus that recreates the touch, feel and sound of the Pilates equipment of the 1960s. The first of these is the Contrology Reformer.

Pilates on Tour
2018

The 100th Pilates on Tour!

Balanced Body’s acclaimed continuing education conference holds it’s 100th event. Time to celebrate. And what better place than in New Orleans!

Balanced Body Goes virtual
2020

BB Education Goes Virtual

With the onset of COVID, Balanced Body Education pivots and develops its first virtual experience, “Pilates Around the World”. The 24-hour global event is a rousing success that led to many more virtual events, workshops and community meet-ups over the following 2+ years.

Sign outside of BB with new layout of building
2022

A Major Expansion 2 Years in the Making

Two years to plan, Balanced Body moves into two new spaces at our existing Sacramento location. The first space is 25,000 sq.ft., and was previously leased next door. A new exterior wall was then constructed, which added another 8,800 sq.ft. to our new footprint. Finally, we added an additional 43,500 sq.ft. at the Depot Park (our former location). Our new total is now 177,300 sq.ft. (up from 100K sq.ft.). We also expanded our solar capacity – which was more than doubled – to create a 1.1 megawatt solar array, one of the top three of its kind in the state!