 At age 16, while studying at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet, she suffered an ankle injury, and was taken by Balanchine to Joseph Pilates to see if exercise rather than an operation would resolve the problem.The exercises were a success, and she continued to study with Pilates.Romana Kryzanowska become Pilate's protege, Before I knew it", she said, "I was named a helper, which meant I didn’t have to pay anymore."