In a cozy house with a pool in Holmby Hills, Liana Levi, 33, counts backwards from 10 as I move my leg in a slow circle. “She thinks happy thoughts,” she says as the deceptively simple movements make my muscles tremble on the Pilates reformer. Her distinctly Californian voice floats over a Bad Bunny-filled playlist. She has a deep January tan and delicate gold jewelry. Her sweatshirt, adorned with the logo of sports brand Sporty & Rich, appears tailor-made for her. Below her are her signature washboard abs. We're talking about a Marvel movie, I can't believe it's not a CGI eight-pack that her 130,000+ Instagram followers know intimately. His secret from her? Her method Pilates, Shape.
Levi didn't invent the moves she teaches, but with her body as a case study, he quickly became their guardian. Forma Pilates elevates the fundamentals of classic Pilates with what Levi calls “athletic edge.” Instead of shouting buzzwords, Levi explains what it means to work the pelvic floor, or really feel the outer glutes, and guides clients until they really feel it. The slightest adjustment transforms a two-inch movement. The walls of Forma studios are adorned with signed rubber resistance bands that previous clients have snapped in half with the strength of their thighs.
Rubber resistance bands, torn and signed by past clients, adorn Levi's home studio.
Los Angeles is no stranger to trendy workouts. In the fitness capital of the United States there have been classes that promote the famous Joe Pilates technique since 1972. There have also been many imitators. Faster-paced classes that use large machines like Solidcore or Megaformer are inspired by Pilates, but can't use the name. Like champagne versus sparkling wine, Pilates is exclusive by nature. Forma is exclusive by design, an invitation-only fitness community that charges $100 for semi-private reformer classes and $250 for private sessions. Forget Raya, Soho House or even the Magic Castle – attending one of Levi's Forma Pilates classes can be the toughest task in town.
Levi grew up “very sheltered” in the well-kept suburb of Holmby Hills. While studying at the elite private Jewish day school Milken, he played sports and danced competitively. At 16 he took his first Pilates class to complement her training and was immediately hooked.
“I worked muscles I didn't know existed,” he said. “I felt longer and taller and my core was stronger than ever. I realized that this is the most elegant and beautiful type of fitness there is.”
Liana Levi.
Liana Levi guides Kassia Taylor in using Pilates equipment.
After several jobs in the fashion industry in her 20s, Levi took a chance and earned her Pilates teaching certificate. She had long been frustrated by local Pilates classes that did not teach correct form or emphasize the importance of the “mind-body connection,” and she thought that maybe she could do better. In 2020, she launched Forma Pilates at her mother's pool house during the worst of the pandemic shutdown. With security in mind and only room for two reformers, she had no choice but to start small. First with informal classes for friends, then friends of friends. Word of mouth about her rigorous technique spread from her well-connected acquaintances to a handful of celebrities. Within four months, the small business Levi started as a pandemic experiment was attracting celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid.
A year after release, Levi expanded Forma to a studio on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Despite the demand, he kept the studio intimate, with only four clients per class. Soon, The Daily Mail published paparazzi photos of Kendall Jenner leaving the studio and interest in Forma skyrocketed. Levi expanded her clientele to connections up to six degrees away from her. “I wanted to keep it exclusive, unique, niche, boutique and luxurious,” she said.
In November 2023, Forma debuted heated mat pilates classes in a new 14-person Beverly Glen studio. It is Forma's largest and least expensive class. Levi calls it “more accessible,” but stays true to the exclusivity that is at the core of the brand. At $50 each, it beats Barry's Bootcamp ($34), SoulCycle ($34), and Solidcore ($40) in price per class. Like all Shape classes, reference is required. When I took a class on a Friday at noon, there were only five students. A paparazzo lurked in the parking lot.
Liana Levi, owner of Forma Pilates, chats with her students Kassia Taylor and Colleen McCabe in her home studio.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Today, Forma has a total of six locations in Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix. There are over 3,500 approved clients who have the option to choose from over 50 classes per week, taught by 16 different Levi-trained instructors. Meanwhile, Levi travels to pop-ups and teaches 10 classes a week in Los Angeles.
Despite the multitudes of followers who would happily take a place in Forma's classes, those outside of Levi's charmed orbit must make do with Forma's online platform. The $50/month service updates weekly with pre-recorded mat and reformer workouts. They may not feel the mysterious allure of membership in an invitation-only fitness cult, or the chance to sweat alongside Kaia Gerber. But hey, you can come in.
