WHO WE ARE
Our Story
Body First is run by a husband and wife team. Recent transplants from Chicago, Sioned and Alex are artists to the core. Sioned, a professional tap dancer, and Alex, an actor and voice-over artist, met while pursuing their individual careers. Rehearsing and performing as intensely as they did takes a toll on the body. Like many artists, they suffered injuries that affected their ability to perform.
Sioned and Alex turned to multiple bodywork practitioners to help extend their careers. Each practitioner had their own unique perspective, but often lacked a through-line from one modality to the next. One person's advice contradicted another's. To eliminate confusion and help speed their progress, they often wished they could bring all of their practitioners under one roof.
Body First was created with the intention of forming a healing team. Sioned and Alex collaborate to tackle injuries from multiple perspectives. Their program utilizes both Pilates and Massage to help others recover from injuries or ailments.
Our Areas of Expertise
At Body First, we combine our knowledge of fascia from multiple perspectives to bring you a three-dimensional model of healing. We work with the body through focused strength training, passive stretching, and deep muscular relaxation to break up fascial holds and begin creating new, healthy patterns. With this integrative approach, the body has a fighting chance at finally recovering. We achieve this three-dimensional approach through our areas of expertise: Pilates and Massage.
At Body First, we provide several ways in which you can increase your knowledge through our specially designed Mat classes. Our classes are limited to small class sizes to ensure that each participant gets individualized attention.
We believe self-care should be accessible, informative, and above all, affordable. Whether you choose to participate in group mat classes, private pilates sessions, therapeutic massages, or any of our other services, each will be approached with the same level of expertise. We strive to provide multiple ways in which to place your healing in your own hands. Our programs are designed to work in tandem. As such, we encourage you to try and sample all that Body First has to offer.
To begin your journey, explore our options below.
Our Team
SIONED PAPPAROTTO
(pronounced SHAWN-id)
STOTT Pilates Instructor
Licensed Massage Therapist
As a professional tap dancer, Sioned is no stranger to injuries. She struggled for years while dancing with multiple companies in Chicago to keep her body working at the level she needed. Searching for a solution, Sioned turned to Pilates. The meticulous way Pilates instructors viewed the body was unlike anything she had ever experienced outside of the dance world. Inspired to help others, Sioned quickly gained her Full Certification through STOTT Pilates.
While Pilates is an amazing tool for injury recovery and strength training, Sioned found that some of her clients needed more. Looking for additional pathways, she enrolled in New School for Massage in Chicago, IL. It was there that she found the missing link in her training. Sioned designed a way to uniquely combine Pilates and Massage into a cohesive focus. She discovered that pain and injuries can be tackled from the perspectives of both strength and release. It was this discovery that inspired her to create Body First with her husband, Alex.
ALEX GOODMAN
Registered Massage Practitioner
As an actor, Alex understands the importance of keeping your body -- your “instrument”-- in top shape. He received his BFA in Theater from Wright State University, which gave him a deep understanding of how bodies move through space. Long rehearsals and performances often left him in pain. Turning to massage allowed him to practice his craft longer than he anticipated.
Inspired to provide others with the same level of relief, he decided to become a massage therapist. He studied at the New School for Massage in Chicago, IL. While in school, Alex became passionate about not just bringing others relief, but also helping them maintain and improve their bodies.