Caged Lion by John Howard Steel
A new book about Joseph Pilates has just been released, written by John Howard Steel. On a tip by both his Contrology loving parents, Steel was a young man when he walked into Pilates’ Contrology studio. Joe was already in his eighties. It is an apolitical, straightforward, witty, authentic, first person look into the man, his work, and how Contrology became what Pilates is today.
Steel is a fantastic storyteller. At times, I really felt like I was awkwardly in Joseph and Clara’s apartment with him, or arm and arm, walking as fast as I could with Steel and Joe as they took a brisk walk around New York. I so enjoyed his honest observations of Pilates, his personal narrative into how little we really know about Pilates’ life before he came to New York. It was also fun learning how Pilates gave the magic circle its name! Oh blush!
Steel was changed by the work as a young man in his thirties, and was by Pilates’ side through his death in 1967. He still practices, now in his eighties.
Steel tried to carry the torch of the work, but Pilates didn’t set up his business that way. He had no successor, no structure of business, or a process on how to pass the work down to future teachers to keep it going. None of the existing teachers wanted to take over. We witness how the work struggled to survive for many years, with Steel and many others trying to keep it alight.
My favorite section is the digging Steel did to research and piece together what kind of life Pilates had before moving to New York, and how Pilates actually created his work. I won’t spoil it, it’s the deepest treasure of the book. You probably have heard many different variations about how Pilates developed his work as a nurse in World War 1: in order to rehabilitate soldiers, he took springs from the mattresses to create the beginnings of the cadillac. Right? Me too! But that was not the case, and his breakdown is fascinating!
I also enjoyed sitting in the cheap seats at the trial of Sean Gallager’s claim of the Pilates trademark. I was just starting out as a teacher when it happened, and was affected by it as well. It’s a horrifying part of the book. An insight to what almost happened when greed seeped in, and the heart of the work got the hands of an opportunist, who never even practiced Pilates. And just a side note, I applied to be part of a weekend workshop in upstate NY in 2019 at Jacob’s Pillow where Pilates once taught, to learn the archival work, among other rarities. Sounds cool! It was led by Sean Gallager, and once I got in, I was presented with a contract I rejected. Impart, it said I wasn’t allowed to teach what I learned from this workshop to a client or teacher, among other oppressive rules. Really? I want to learn from teachers who are generous in spirit about their knowledge of the work. It perpetuates Pilates for the better! If that doesn’t give you a bit of insight into Sean Gallager, Steel will definitely take it home for you. I loved his unabashed opinions and observations on the people of Pilates. It doesn’t come from a mean spirited place, but from courage to say perhaps others were thinking, but would never say. He speaks on how Romana’s charisma spread her interpretation of the work from teacher to teacher, which helped sustain the work through its rough years, but then almost destroyed its future, siding with Sean Gallager at this trial. I have been told for many years that Romana was Joe’s protege, but he did not pass the work down to anyone. Steel clears that up as well.
The book ends with a beautiful, funny, apropos ending: an imagined, lively conversation Steel has with Joseph Pilates on how his work has evolved into the popular movement modality it is today.
If you are a teacher or practitioner of the work, I highly recommend delving into this wonderful history of the man and his work! https://www.johnhowardsteel.com/book