About Crux Pilates

Crux Pilates has been many years in the making and initially began in 2023 with no name in Gunnison, CO. When Ashley moved to Gunnison to attend Western in 2003, she fell more deeply in love with rock climbing and the dirtbag lifestyle. The crux of a climb is the most challenging part that sometimes takes days, weeks or months to ascend. We wholeheartedly believe you can train your body and mind to ascend any obstacle and we're here to help you do it. 

Ashley Jackson has an extensive dance background and comes with a lifelong education in the dance field. She graduated with a B.F.A. from Western Colorado University in 2007. She is an advanced certified yoga teacher with two 200 hour trainings, one from Katey Inman of Anchorage Yoga in 2013 and one from Yoga Pod in Boulder in 2017. She received her advanced 300 hour training with Gina Caputo in 2018. She assisted Gina Caputo with a 200 hour training after her advanced training. Ashley became a certified rolfer in 2015 after completing her education at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute in Boulder. She studied mat pilates and anatomy with East River Pilates in Brooklyn in 2019 and completed her comprehensive training with Balanced Body in Telluride in 2021. She currently studies with a physical therapist and master pilates teacher to expand her knowledge in the rehabilitative realm. 

Joe Lavorini

"We teach what we most need to learn.” This quote from Richard Bach summarizes Joe’s philosophy to instructing yoga. Joe teaches yoga to learn - about the practice, about the community, and about how he’s doing on any given day. Joe’s classes are built on pacing and rhythm and a goal of slowing down to focus on what matters most. Joe has taught yoga since graduating college and has training in Vinyasa, Hatha, and trauma-informed yoga.

Jasey Faulkner

Jasey has always had a passion for moving, and she loves to share it — whether it’s joining her dad on his weekly workouts or trying to convince girlfriends that a core workout is fun. Really, core is fun! Moving is what drives Jasey, and in Colorado the choices are endless: running, biking, skiing and yoga. Pilates found her — of all places — on a boring video in her living room. It didn’t deter her. She dove deeper into Pilates, taking classes from many amazing teachers. In her exploration, she learned that Pilates is more than just another form of exercise, it’s a way of learning a true mind-body connection that can be translated into everything we do in active Colorado. This is what Jasey wants to share with you.

After graduating from TCU, Jasey studied and was certified in mat and equipment through Physical Mind Institute . She has been teaching mat, small group classes and private, duet and trio classes since 2003. Teaching Pilates is a way for Jasey to help others realize their body’s true potential. Pilates creates balance, increases strength and helps the whole person feel better. She looks forward to helping you with your mind-body connection and creating a smarter body and stronger core.

Autumn Brown

Autumn has lived in the Gunnison Valley for most of her life. She enjoys hiking, rafting, skiing and finds true peace in the outdoors. She has been a fitness trainer, studies nutrition and was introduced to yoga at a very young age, given the spiritual name “Shanti” by Swami Satchidananda. Autumn’s passion for yoga shows up in her teachings. Through intelligent, mindful sequencing, Autumn has the ability to take her students deeper into their practice, physically, mentally and spiritually.
Autumn completed her 200-hr. certification with Yogaworks and finished her 500 RYT in Goa India with Joan Hyman. She also has 25hrs in Yin and certifications through Smart Flow with Annie Carpenter. Autumn continues to study with Joan Hyman at The School of Yoga.

Arden Morgan

Arden Saunders is a passionate Pilates instructor, mother, and artist residing in Gunnison. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in sculpture and a minor in Anthropology from Colorado State University. With over a decade and a half of Pilates experience, Arden is a seasoned instructor certified by the National Pilates Certification Program and Pilates Career Institute, where she completed her 450-hour comprehensive teacher training program in Fort Collins, as well as Creative Director for Pilates Education Institute. Arden believes Pilates nurtures strength from within, creating balance, clarity, and a mindful resilience. Each movement connects breath and body, fostering calm and inner harmony that ripples into daily life. Outwardly, Pilates shapes and empowers—improving posture, building confidence, and enhancing a poised presence. Together, these inner and outer benefits inspire a vitality that transforms how we move through the world.