constant pain and in an attempt to alleviate her suffering she turned first to ballet and then to yoga and toning classes. She trained in the Martha Graham dance technique at The Place (London). She also attended the Rehabilitation Exercise Studio set up by German dancer Lotte Berk. Berk had seriously injured her back while dancing and had devised a program to ease her discomfort whilst maintaining her strength and flexibility. Returning home In 1972 Pinckney returned to Savannah, Georgia. Soon after her arrival, she left for New York City to assume a teaching job at an exercise studio. However, after disagreements with the owner regarding the exercise regimen, Pinckney quit the studio. During this period, Pinckney worked to find new exercise methods. She found ways to protect her back and increase the effectiveness of different exercises. She learned how to strengthen and alleviate the pain from her knees. She also discovered that she could quickly tone her muscles using these new movements. She started teaching private students in her apartment. After consulting with a numerologist, Pinckney decided to change her first name to "Callan" to help provide her direction for her future. Birth of Callanetics As her exercise classes grew in popularity, Pinckney needed to give them a name. One of her students would always refer to them as "Callan-etics", a name-blend of "Callan" and "athletics". Pinckney decided to use that name. In 1984, after seven years of teaching Callanetics, Pinckney published her first book, Callanetics: 10 Years Younger In 10 Hours. Within two years the book had sold close to a million copies in the United States alone. She was profiled in Time and People magazines and appeared on many chat shows. In 1986, Pinckney released the first Callanetics video. Based on word-of-mouth, the video became a best-seller. In 1987, Pinckney trained one of her advanced students to become the first certified Callanetics instructor. Toward the end of 1987 Pinckney was invited to represent the United States in the World Elephant Polo Competition in Nepal. She put together the Callanetics Ladies Team which included amongst others orca trainer Judy Peterson. The team finished in sixth place. Pinckney said that riding the elephant was therapeutic for her back. In 1988, Pinckney published Callanetics For Your Back. Pinckney believed that many people were suffering back problems due to the radical fitness movement in the United States during that period. The