By Lauren Charlip, Managing Editor

STOTT PILATES® will hold its biennial conference for its global Licensed Training Centers in Toronto Oct. 21–24, 2009, but this year’s gathering has a new twist. Named Community of Excellence 09, the event was expanded to include STOTT PILATES equipment distributors, all Instructor Trainers and a final day of programming open to all fitness professionals. 

This year’s gathering is the first to be called Community of Excellence, though according to STOTT PILATES president and CEO Lindsay G. Merrithew, that “has been a living organic philosophy for about 10 years or so” for the company.

“We’ve grown tremendously in the past couple of years, and want to focus on the STOTT brand and what it means and how we can all work together,” he said. “This is a time for all of our business partners to come together and share best practices and experiences.”

The conference will feature updated Pilates programming for rehabilitative and aging populations, both growing sectors of the STOTT PILATES client base, among other Pilates workshops. One of the event’s featured speakers is Colin Milner, founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, who will discuss business ideas for that market. There will also be plenty of business-building sessions, and new STOTT PILATES equipment will be introduced, though the specifics are still under wraps.

There will also be a lot of exchange about the economy this year, Merrithew predicts. Enrollment hasn’t dropped, she said, but there is continuing conversation about how to draw people into studios and how to establish Pilates as something other than a luxury.

“This an opportunity to connect and take advantage of the fact that Pilates keeps growing and growing,” he said. “The economy may not be ideal, but the industry is growing.”

The Pilates Method Alliance released news today that its board members have made the tough decision to cancel its 2009 International Education Conference. In March, they noticed that sales patterns were down compared to years past, and an online survey conducted in April showed that many regular conference attendees weren’t planning to come this year. Overall, sales were down 70 percent, according to the PMA, which they credit to the global economic downturn. “We decided that we couldn’t go forward with the conference without destabilizing the organization,” said PMA Executive Director Elizabeth Anderson.

In an announcement on its Web site, the PMA board—which voted on the decision just two business days ago—said, “As a not-for-profit organization, we must be responsible to our alliance members, certificants, delegates, sponsors and exhibitors, to ensure that we do not operate the conference at a loss, as this would draw away funds that are needed to continue other essential functions of the PMA.” For those who have already paid for the 2009 conference, the PMA is offering a refund or an open credit, which can be applied to the 2010 conference, membership, merchandise or any of its other offerings.

The 2010 PMA conference is still in the works, and Anderson is confident it will be a success. Its location—Long Beach, CA—is one reason: she says PMA delegates love visiting California. It will also be the event’s 10th anniversary, and she thinks that after two years off, attendees will be more than ready to learn and connect with colleagues. As for the economy, she’s also hopeful it will be in better shape.

In the meantime, Anderson says the PMA is looking into offering Webinars, especially on business topics. The organization will also have more time to “focus on internal things that can strengthen what we’re doing for members,” said Anderson, including health, vision and dental benefits and help for members who need Websites. The lack of conference revenue this year will be challenging, said Anderson, but she’s confident the organization can compensate in other areas.

For attendees who were planning on fulfilling their CECs at the conference, the PMA is recommending other conferences and workshops, including the Pilates Round Table, Inner IDEA, Pilates on Tour and Power Pilates offerings.

The 2010 PMA conference will take place Nov. 4-7, 2010, in Long Beach, CA.