ACTIVE Pilates Cueing Essentials Field Guide

A Practical Field Guide for Pilates Instructors

Plan with clarity. Cue with purpose. Teach with confidence.

Effective Pilates cueing is not about saying more. It is about recognizing what a mover needs, choosing the most useful cue, observing the response, and knowing what to do next.

ACTIVE Pilates Cueing Essentials Field Guide provides a practical, structured approach to making better cueing decisions in real teaching situations. Designed for Pilates instructors at every stage of professional development, this guide helps turn movement knowledge into clear, purposeful instruction.

Rather than offering scripts or lists of ideal cues, the Field Guide teaches instructors how to think through cueing decisions, adapt to individual movers, and develop greater confidence in their teaching.

What You'll Learn

• The ACTIVE Cueing Framework: Align, Connect & Move, Tune-In, Integrate Breath, Verify, and Express.
• Plan and Prioritize: Identify movement intentions and select the one cue-worthy priority that matters most.
• Build Effective Cues: Choose clear, purposeful cues suited to the mover and the movement.
• Observe and Decide: Evaluate mover responses and determine when to allow, fade, modify, replace, simplify, or change the task.
• Adapt Cue Delivery: Use different cue dimensions and communication pathways to improve understanding and movement.
• Develop Teaching Skills: Apply the PEARL Approach™—Prepare, Execute, Assess, Reflect, Lead—to strengthen cueing through reflection and practice.

Who This Guide Is For

• Pilates instructors seeking more effective and intentional cueing
• New instructors developing teaching confidence
• Experienced instructors refining observation and decision-making
• Teacher trainers and mentors supporting instructor development

A Practical Resource for Everyday Teaching

Use the Field Guide to prepare for classes, work through challenging cueing situations, review teaching decisions, and strengthen your professional practice.

The goal is simple: Give the mover what they need, when they need it, without unnecessary instruction.

Digital Download

• PDF edition for convenient digital reference
• Practical frameworks, examples, and quick-reference resources
• Suitable for individual study, teaching preparation, and professional development
• Immediate access after purchase
• 
  

The ACTIVE Cueing Essentials Worksheet Toolkit, featuring three companion worksheets for planning, cueing decisions, and reflection, is available separately.



Learn clearly. Teach confidently. Move with purpose.

Published by Pilates Learning Systems

Pearl J. Dahmen, PhD, NCPT

Pilates Master Trainer