Alexandria, VA – Among the many things Victoria Azor loves about her Pilates studio in Old Town, one stands out: the building’s deep historical roots. Located at 323 S. Washington Street, VA Pilates operates in a space with a rich past. Azor takes pride in both the site’s historical significance as the home of social reformer Julia Wilbur and its current role in promoting health and pain relief for her clients.
According to the Office of Historic Alexandria, the building belonged to Wilbur, of Rochester NY, who lived there during the Civil War. At the time, her home was repurposed to care for “ailing Contraband refugees”—enslaved individuals who had escaped bondage in the Deep South and sought refuge behind Union lines in Alexandria. Known as Contrabands Hospital or Bigelow’s Hospital, the building served as a place of healing, much like it does today under Azor’s stewardship.
For Azor, a 39-year-old licensed Pilates instructor, the pursuit of healing is personal. Diagnosed with scoliosis as a child, she experienced firsthand the kind of chronic pain many of her clients endure.
A native of Sevastopol, Crimea, Azor spent much of her childhood in a brace. “Scoliosis pinched a nerve in my spine, and I was in pain almost constantly,” she recalled. As an adult, she explored various treatments—acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic care—but nothing fully alleviated her discomfort. “People with scoliosis have too much mobility in their joints. Yoga is great for those who are stiff, but not so much for hypermobility.”
It wasn’t until she discovered Pilates that everything changed. After earning a pre-law degree at George Mason University and working as a paralegal, she realized the highlight of her week was her Pilates sessions. “I loved the way it made me feel,” she said. Driven by curiosity, she began researching why Pilates had such a profound effect on her body. “Pilates is all about control. When you feel in control of your body, you start to feel in control of your life.”
Her passion for movement and pain relief led her to study under top athletic trainers and exercise therapists. She credits her mentor, Patricia Medros – a second-generation Classical Pilates teacher with a direct lineage to Joseph Pilates – for shaping her approach. Azor has since integrated movement science and personal experience into her own unique training method.
Before opening VA Pilates in Alexandria, she ran a studio in the Falls Church.
Now, in her sunlit studio, Azor leads clients through movement-focused sessions. In a recent class, three adults stretched in unison as she guided them through a timed sequence. “Hold that position,” she commanded, offering encouragement as she counted down.
“You count differently,” one participant joked, straining to hold the pose. After the session, he pulled on his street shoes and admitted, “That was intense – a real workout.” Heading off to a winter vacation to Aruba, he called out, “I’ll see you in a month!” Azor laughed. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
Joseph Pilates, the founder of the method and author of “Return to Life Through Contrology,” published in 1945, wrote that his system was designed to cultivate “suppleness, natural grace, and skill,” improving everything from posture to daily movement.
Azor embraces this philosophy wholeheartedly. “Body. Mind. Spirit. They’re all connected. When you take control of one, you start changing everything,” she said. “I’ve never met someone who was in pain and also felt free and happy. 99% of my clients come in with pain, stiffness, and restrictions. We don’t use our bodies as they were designed to be used. We move from one box, our home, to another, our office, our car, and even at the gym, we don’t move in ways that mimic how humans were meant to move.”
Her studio brochure, “Ready for a Whole New Body?,” highlights her deep study of anatomy and biomechanics, as well as the mentors who have influenced her approach.
“I love the energy of a group,” she said. “Something happens when people struggle together. And they do struggle—what I teach is tough. It’s not for everyone. But if you love intensity, want real results, and don’t want to wait years to see them—I’m your teacher.”
Interested in group classes or private sessions? Schedules can be found vapilates.com.
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