Every woman is familiar with the uneasy feeling of navigating a space not built with them in mind. And those in male-centered fitness spaces, even more so. In a historically male-dominated environment, women-founded and women-focused fitness spots are hard to come by. Enter Fairfield's first Pilates studio at 24 Little Falls Road Unit D. Pilates Please is a Muslim women-owned reformer Pilates studio that has created a safe space for women of all cultures and backgrounds. Read on for the story behind Pilates Please in Fairfield, New Jersey, and how it's garnered itself as a safe space for women.

Photo Credit: Dina Basha

Behind Pilates Please

Close friends and fitness experts Dina Basha and Hebah Elmiligi have shared a passion for reformer Pilates for years. (This is a form of Pilates that uses a movable machine with built-in weights and straps.) To Dina and Hebah, reformer pilates is more than fitness; it's a “holistic approach to life," Dina shared with The Montclair Girl. "Mentally, physically, and spiritually."

The duo, constantly searching for a studio that fit their needs, would often travel up to 45 minutes to try their hand at different classes and techniques. Even after visiting countless studios throughout Northern New Jersey, finding a home studio that felt right for them proved to be challenging.

Read More: A Guide to Workout Studios in Montclair

Dina and Hebah are certified instructors with over ten years of combined experience. For years, the two entertained the idea of opening a studio, but they never found the right time because they both worked full-time jobs. After Hebah was suddenly laid off at her corporate job, which she had held for 13 years, the opportunity finally arose to take that leap of faith.

“When something is meant to be, it all just aligns,” Dina said. And that’s exactly what happened. In a matter of three weeks, they found a location in Fairfield that just clicked, one that even came with quirky little details, like the address number matching the sum of their favorite numbers and a “D” being Dina's initial.

On May 5th, 2025, Dina and Hebah opened Pilates Please, marking their business as Fairfield's first Pilates studio and the area's first Muslim women-owned and women-centered Pilates studio.

A Studio For Women, By Women

Before Pilates Please was established, the Fairfield area was home to a Lucille Roberts location, America's first women-only gym with locations nationwide. When this locale closed, Dina and Hebah shared that many of the gym's clientele stopped working out because the only spot that accommodated their needs was gone.

When Dina and Hebah opened Pilates Please, they did it with these women in mind. “We really wanted to create a safe space for women, especially in the Muslim community,” Hebah said, which makes up a large demographic of Fairfield. "We're both Muslim, and a lot of people in our families cover, so we wanted to create a space for people to do Pilates and uncover in a safe space."

Photo Credit: Dhruv Patel

Dina and Hebah go out of their way to make the studio comfortable for its members. During the "for her" classes, which are purely women-only, the instructors pull down the blinds and lock the doors so guests feel safe. Pilates Please also hosts Muslim-focused classes like the new "Arabic Please," which features Arabic music for customers to jam out to while working out.

"I'm so happy I did it and went with my gut," Dina said. "About 80 to 90% of our clients want that safe community, and we can provide that."

Classes

Pilates Please has a variety of classes for locals to try, regardless of experience level. All classes are also offered as "for her." To see the upcoming schedule and book a class, visit this link.

See More: 18 Unique Workout Classes to Try in Hoboken + Jersey City

Some of the classes include:

• Beginner Foundations Please is an introductory course focused on learning proper alignment, breathing techniques, and resistance control on the reformer machine.
• Power Base Please: a strengthening class focusing on core strength, flexibility, alignment, and mental wellbeing.
• Total Body Strength Please is a strengthening class focusing on total-body alignment, core strength, flexibility, and confidence-building.
• Pilates for Her Please is a women-only pilates class held in a private, supportive space. Attendees can uncover, stretch, strengthen, and connect with their bodies in a comfortable environment.
• Reformer with Sounds Healing Please is a wellness-focused class in which the first 15 minutes are dedicated to gentle stretching, and the rest of the duration is a healing session with crystal sound bowls.
• Jumpboard Please is a jumpboard reformer class that combines core-sculpting using the reformer machine with plyometric movement. This class focuses on strengthening the legs, glutes, and core and improving coordination and stability.

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