She posted a TikTok. Now hundreds of people turn up for free Pilates
On a Sunday morning in New Farm Park, Keisha Love is busily preparing to host a free bi-weekly Pilates class.
By 7.15am, the park is filled with chatting participants preparing yoga mats.
Love came up with the idea after noticing an influx of social clubs across the city.
Keisha Love founded Pil Lattes because she wanted to bring together a community of like-minded individuals.Credit: Silk Lens Studio
He was intrigued by the concept but wasn’t keen on the running element and thus the Pilates social club was born.
The name, he explains, is a play on the words Pilates and latte, “two things Brisbane people love.”
“I thought Pil Lattes was a fun name.”
Love apologizes for acting awkward on camera during our interview.
But 15 minutes later, he confidently greets the crowd of almost 300 enthusiasts and any awkwardness disappears.
Love’s day job is teaching pilates, cycling and ballet barre Total Fusion.
Love was a dancer before entering the fitness instructor world, and she says it felt like a natural progression. “I love the stage, the group energy.”
Pil Lattes is at New Farm Park every two weeks.Credit: Ange Lewis Photography
Pilates mat exercise at New Farm Park is humbling. (When it gets too much, this journalist takes the opportunity to take a break and “catch up.”)
The size of the class and their synchronized movement across the green against Brisbane’s stunning skyline is a sight to behold.
Passersby marvel at hundreds of people working together, some probably mentally signing up for the next class.
Hundreds of people gather for the bi-weekly Pil Lattes gathering.Credit: Neesha Sinnya
From passion project to bi-weekly tradition
This tradition started five months ago when Love shared it on TikTok.
“When I first started, I thought I would drag my friends and family along every week to create this excitement,” he says.
“But a post on TikTok went viral and I got a lot of attention right from the start.
“It really solidified for me that this is a want and a need for Brisbane and something that people will really enjoy.”
What Love describes as a “passion project” almost immediately garnered a fan base of like-minded people looking for connection.
His first video on the Pil Lattes TikTok page has been viewed more than 14,800 times.
In a follow-up post, Love admits she was surprised by the response.
“When I saw all these registrations keep coming in, I went into a mini panic at one point, like, ‘Oh my God, there are so many people in here,’” he says in the video.
Now Love usually hosts around 200 participants, with as many as 500 arriving bright and early for the Sunday morning class.
Many people ask why the classes are free when regular mat pilates classes at gyms in the New Farm area can run $25 or more.
Pil Lattes members start their Sunday mornings by exercising in the sun.Credit: Silk Lens Studio
That’s where Love’s approach to accessible fitness comes into play.
“It’s about removing barriers to entry, creating a space that welcomes everyone,” he says.
What is the future of Pil Lattes?
Love wants the club to continue to grow and even become a destination for visitors to Brisbane.
“I think we could break the Guinness world record one day,” he says. “I would love to fill Suncorp Stadium for a big Pilates event.”
The record for the largest Pilates show was broken in Denizli in 2013 with 3486 participants.
“That would be the goal.”
What is Brisbane’s Social Scene?
Brisbane Times From viral videos from your local butcher to a popular craft movie night, she shines a light on the people and businesses of Brisbane with her following on social media.
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