About Us

Jan Thorne, proprietor of Premier Pilates, has been an avid Pilates fan since the mid- 90s, when her good friend and mentor, Jan Wessman introduced her to it.  After moving to Cookeville from Phoenix, Jan practiced Pilates with Petti Groth at Synergy Studio from 2008 through 2013.  In 2013 she began training to obtain her Pilates certification, and completed her 488 hour certification process with Balanced Body  in 2015.  Jan taught Pilates at Synergy from May, 2014 through November, 2016. She opened her own studio on December 1st, 2016.

Jan has a Bachelor of Education degree from Arizona State University, and a Master’s degree in Human Resources from Ottawa University.  She has over 20 years of classroom teaching experience.

“Opening my own studio has been a dream come true! I’ve had great mentors in Jan and Petti, – both successful studio owners and inspiring women. Taking this leap of faith is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done! I look forward to serving the community of Cookeville by offering  health and fitness opportunities for many age groups and body types.”

Premier Pilates would like to introduce Toni Evans as one of the mat teachers here at the studio. Toni is the Client and Community Engagement coordinator at Swallows Insurance. She is an East Tennessee girl with a love for sports and adventure! She is a Tennessee Tech graduate and a proud mother of 3 and Gram to 4 amazing grandchildren!

She decided to get her certification as a classic Pilates instructor from The Willows Studio in Nashville in 2019 and has been teaching at Premier since. She currently teaches a beginner mat class on Thur. evenings at 5:45. It is a great class for people new to Pilates or for those who need a refresher on basic mat work.

In addition, she teaches an intermediate mat class on Tuesdays at 5:45 pm. This class is geared for those who are familiar with Pilates and looking for a more challenging class.

Toni invites anyone interested in either of these classes to reach out about class availability, and she would be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Paula was raised in Cookeville, TN. She graduated with honors from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in communication disorders. As a certified speech teacher, she has been helping children of all ages and abilities for many years. Paula lives on a farm and loves gardening, farming, horse riding, boating, and anything outdoors. Paula practices many forms of movement. Tai chi, ballet, and tap, to name a few. Pilates has become one of her favorite joys. Paula began her wellness training right out of high school when she began working at Good Shepherd Health food store. There she learned the true importance of health and nutrition and attained a thirst for learning about the world of health and wellness that cannot be quenched.

Paula began practicing a classical stretch routine 12 years ago and decided to try out Pilates to complement her training. After taking a few classes, she quickly realized this was something she wanted to learn, perfect, and become proficient in. She began teaching a stretch class at Premier Pilates while she intermittently traveled to California to the BASI Pilates studio and completed the foundation program there. Paula is currently instructing at Premier Pilates. She is attaining her student teaching hours and will go on to complete the BASI graduate program and certification.

Paula teaches a beginner mat class at 10:30 on Fridays and takes in beginner clients for private sessions as she has openings. It is an honor and delight for Paula to help people strengthen, grow, and learn how to intentionally move their bodies using Pilates.

Paula Jolley
Primer Pilates instructor