At Casa Mia Tours, we believe that true travel experiences nourish both body and soul. That’s why we’re so excited to have met Robin Fowler, the founder of Flex Pilates (pictured below on the left with me, Gina on the right). She is leading an unforgettable Italy Retreat in 2026 from May 16-23: a week that blends mindful movement, local food, and the simple joy of slowing down. This reflects the Casa Mia Tours’ team philosophy.
Robin’s approach to movement is rooted in mindfulness, strength, and connection – values that align with the Italian way of life. Robin will guide guests through days that begin with Pilates sessions and flow into hands-on cooking classes, shared meals, and immersive cultural experiences, many organized by Casa Mia Tours.
Before we pack our bags for Piemonte, we talked with Robin about her path to Pilates, and why this retreat is about much more than movement. We hope that you enjoy meeting Robin as much as we did.
CM: Can you tell us a little about your background and what inspired you to open Flex Pilates, and how your approach has evolved over the years? What style of Pilates do you practice?
Robin: I first tried Pilates in my 20’s, just after I finished many years of competing on Canada’s rhythmic gymnastics team. To be honest, the first class wasn’t transformative, but there was something about Pilates that I kept going back to it. Fast forward 20 years later after a bunch of injuries from long distance running, I was taking mat, reformer and springboard classes regularly and found it was making a huge difference in how I felt (and my injuries were healing). I then decided for my own knowledge and understanding to take the teacher training program at Body Harmonics in Toronto. Part of the comprehensive training of course is practice teaching and when I finished the hundreds of teaching hours and finished my certification, my clients all wanted to keep going and so did I. Studio R, and then a name change to Flex Pilates, was launched.
The training approach of the studio where I trained is contemporary, based on classical Pilates, but focused on what we know today through modern exercise science, biomechanics, and neuroscience, and this has informed how I teach. I focus on functional movement, fun, building strength, balance, flexibility, coordination and through all of these, there’s a meditative aspect too that calms the mind. My gymnastics and movement background means I love to play and choreograph new sequences, so I’m always building on the basics to create fun for my clients and to build on the basics in ways that challenge. I also really believe that we can all do hard things at Pilates and when we do something we didn’t think we could do, we take that with us out of the studio into the rest of our lives. I’m not 20 anymore and my body has been impacted by all the sports I’ve done and injuries I’ve had, so I appreciate my clients’ challenges – doesn’t mean we can’t do hard things though! I had a hip replacement 4 years ago (and not a wholly successful one) too and I know that Pilates has made all the difference for me. The older I’ve become, the more I realize how doing hard things at Pilates has kept me strong in both mind and body.
CM: What was it about Italy and Piemonte – its culture, food, or lifestyle – that felt like the perfect setting for the Italy workshop?
Robin: During Covid, I read about this incredible (and Canadian-owned) villa in Italy equipped with a Pilates studio – it seemed too good to be true. Italy + Pilates = WOW! I decided that one day I would host a retreat there. The rolling vineyard-covered hills, the 360-degree views, the UNESCO world heritage status of the area, the food, the wines – I am so excited to be sharing the beauty of the Piemonte area, this gorgeous villa, the incredible Pilates studio. 
CM: How would you describe what guests can expect from this retreat, both on and off the mat and reformers?
Robin: My participants last year rated it 11/10! I describe the week as one full of wellness, rejuvenation and fun! I have curated the week to include twice-daily Pilates, beautiful culinary delights through our incredible Casa Mia chef (grazie!), wine tastings, e-biking, hiking and touring the local areas, and of course lots of time to relax by the pool, read, nap, enjoy ‘la dolce vita,’ feel history up close, connect with others and take in the beautiful views all around our villa. While we do lots of Pilates, it is also a week focused on slowing down, appropriate for the area where the Slow Food movement was born. We move in and around our villa, making the most of each of our days together.
CM: You often talk about connection: to self, to breath, to movement. How do you bring that philosophy into your classes and retreats?
Robin: Pilates is meditative and creates a connection to oneself and to calmness. My clients often tell me how they love how they forget about their to-do lists, and how they feel so much calmer/better/stronger after class. I try to create a strong body awareness in my classes – how our body moves, what muscles feel like when they’re firing during different exercises, where tension exists – through this, my clients develop a greater awareness that extends into daily life and this helps to prevent injury and can reduce pain.
The deep, controlled breathing of Pilates calms the nervous system, lowers stress hormones and promotes a sense of well-being, creating a positive mental space free from stress. Without deeper breathing, Pilates is hard and while I don’t focus on it too much with newer clients (they’re too focused on learning where to put their various limbs!), that focus on breathing more deeply comes over time.
Connection is also about connecting to others in class, I try to cultivate a fun vibe in the studio. I want people to laugh and enjoy themselves. If exercise is fun, it feels good, and people will want to keep doing it. I am proud to have built a community of clients aged 18-85 who enjoy connecting, laughing, and learning together and from each other. Even if it’s for an hour a week or two hours a day for a week at a retreat, I really believe these connections make a massive difference! 
CM: For someone who’s newer to Pilates, what do you hope they’ll discover about themselves through the practice?
Robin: With new clients, I really try to focus on form, control and body awareness – what they might feel in their bodies when doing a certain exercise – this is powerful for a lot of people. My beginner clients are often struck by the balance between mobility and stability and love what they learn about body control. For some, it’s really quite profound in that they’ve never “felt” the connections to their smaller muscles. For others, they realize how they have been overusing some muscles (often the big ones), and that they’re actually not as strong as they thought. With consistency, my clients discover a stronger, more balanced body, enhanced posture, and a better understanding of how functional exercise supports their daily life.
CM: Is there a particular meal, ingredient, or Italian tradition you’re most excited to experience or share with the group?
Robin: Last May at our Italy retreat, I was very excited for our chef to teach us how to make Agnolotti del Plin, the traditional stuffed pasta of Piemonte. It was delicious! Oh, and Bicerin – Yum! And the risotto with Barolo – divine. I could go on and on! Having a chef on-site for our retreat is just an exquisite treat.
CM: What do you hope guests take home with them – physically, mentally, or emotionally – after this retreat?
Robin: My goal is that participants feel they’ve had a restorative week and that they’ve learned more about Pilates (everyone gets a private session with me the first couple of days to help them focus on specific things in our twice-daily group classes) and how it can keep them aging healthfully. I hope everyone feels more flexible, stronger, and has some tips to take home with them – from how to stretch and relax, some balance exercises, things to do without Pilates equipment, recipes – along with the great memories and photos too! And lastly, a remembrance of the importance of taking a break from the daily hustle and bustle of life to focus on oneself, try new things, see new places, meet new people, move one’s body, and slow down.
CM: How can people learn more about the retreat or connect with you and Flex Pilates?
Robin:I love meeting new people and talking about my retreats and classes. For info, the easiest is to click on my Italy Retreat page here. Any questions, feel free to email me (or text or WhatsApp me at +1 647-300-3594).
CM: And finally, if you could describe this retreat in just three words, what would they be?
Robin: Restorative, nourishing, fun!
CM: Please share anything else that you would like to with our readers.
Robin: I hope to see you in Italy! If you’re travelling to Toronto, come do a class with me! I’m also happy to share my fave Toronto spots. And bookmark my website to keep an eye out for 2027 Retreat Dates. I look forward to meeting you! 
There is only 1 spot left for the Italy retreat! If you can’t join this year, you may want to consider Robin’s retreat in Menorca and keep an eye on Robin’s 2027 Italy dates. When booking please mention Casa Mia Tours for a surprise gift.
