Strength has a rhythm.
Backbeat Pilates is a music-driven reformer and mat studio in Columbia, Tennessee.
Founded by a working Nashville musician and touring musician, every class is built like a set — soul, Motown, 90s country, classic rock.
The music isn't background.
Meet the Founder
Hi — I'm Kelsey.
I spent many years touring in a bus. Warped Tour and opening for the Jonas Brothers. I still play Sunday AM’s at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in downtown Nashville.
When I stopped touring, I taught Pilates full-time in New York and Florida, and I kept noticing the same thing: the music in most studios is an afterthought. A playlist nobody chose, at a volume nobody set, doing nothing for the work.
That's the whole idea behind Backbeat. Every class is built like a set — warm-up, build, peak, cooldown. Soul, Motown, country, 90’s hip hop, classic rock. Reformer and mat, all levels, no experience required.
Backbeat is a community for anyone who wants to feel good. Come as you are. I teach in band T-shirts, so no one's checking your outfit. The volume's just right, the disco ball's spinning, and the lights set the vibe. You'll leave stronger than you came in, and you'll want to come back.
— Kelsey Merritt-Roa, Founder
The band
Annie grooms
Annie is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they're raising two kids. Becoming a mom deepened her appreciation for movement — not as something we have to do, but as something that helps us feel stronger and more present in everyday life.
She's certified through Balanced Body, the same company that makes the reformers you'll be on at Backbeat.
Annie believes Pilates is for everyone, no matter your age, experience, or where you're starting. Her goal is a room where you feel encouraged, challenged, and celebrated. Whether it's your first session or your hundredth, she wants you to leave more confident in your body than when you walked in.
For Annie, Pilates isn't about perfection. It's about building strength, finding joy in movement, and discovering what you're actually capable of.
jessica watters
Jessica has been teaching Pilates mat and reformer classes since 2003. She also teaches barre and fitness classes focused on strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility. She has worked with beginners through intermediate clients in both group classes and private sessions, and loves helping people feel stronger, more confident, and more comfortable in their bodies.
A mom of four young adults, Jessica moved to Mount Pleasant last year and is excited to return to teaching in the studio and join the Backbeat Pilates community.
Location:
1221 Commerce Ct. Suite B
Columbia, TN 38401
(Behind the Creye-Leike Building)