The Upper East Side’s wellness club, The Pearl, was founded in 2025 by Marcella Hymowitz, a former Knicks City Dancer and the founder of the event production company Studio MGH Creative. Hymowitz has danced for artists including Pitbull and Fergie, and her work has been featured on “Saturday Night Live” and “Sex and the City.” This past summer, The Pearl also held a Hamptons pop-up with classes at WAVE in Southampton and at Post House in Sag Harbor.
Hymowitz was inspired by her daughter to create The Pearl to provide a dedicated space where women of all ages could explore movement, creativity, and wellness.
The Pearl offers a diverse lineup of classes, including Sculpt, Mat Pilates, Strength Training, Dance Cardio, and Hip-Hop Sculpt, and regularly collaborates with leading trainers, wellness experts, educators, and female leaders.
We asked Hymowitz a few questions to learn more.
What inspired you to create The Pearl, and what was your original vision?
I’ve imagined having my own studio since I was a teenager. I started teaching dance at 13, long before I danced professionally, and teaching has always been the thread connecting each chapter of my career. I went on to dance professionally with the Knicks City Dancers for five seasons, then worked as a choreographer and creative director. The Pearl feels like the culmination of all those experiences.
I never wanted to open just another fitness or dance studio. I wanted to create the kind of place I wished existed… somewhere you could take an incredible class, stay afterward, see friends, get work done, bring your daughter, and feel like you belonged.
We designed The Pearl to feel more like a club and community than a traditional studio. Along with fitness and dance, there’s a lounge, beauty room, study area, events, conversations, and programming beyond working out. Seeing people use the space that way has been one of the most rewarding parts of opening The Pearl.
How did your background prepare you for opening this business?
Being a dancer prepared me for entrepreneurship in ways I didn’t fully appreciate until I started The Pearl. Dance teaches you discipline, resilience, teamwork, and how to respond to criticism.
When I was younger, I balanced school, teaching, auditions, rehearsals, and different jobs because I wanted to dance professionally. As a Knicks City Dancer, the expectations were high: you had to know the choreography and formations, stay polished and professional, and be ready to perform at any moment. That work ethic has stayed with me.
Being a choreographer and creative director also shaped how I run the business. I’m detail-oriented, but I always look at the bigger picture. In choreography, every person has a role and every transition matters. Building The Pearl is surprisingly similar.
I’ve also learned that you can’t build something like this alone. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a team that cares deeply about The Pearl and what we’re creating.
You built a space where mothers, daughters, teens, and young professionals can all exist under one roof. What inspired that multigenerational concept?
This is personal to me because I’m a mother, a dancer, and a woman who still genuinely loves taking class. I never understood why those worlds needed to be separate.
There are wonderful places for children to dance and boutique fitness studios for adults, but I wanted to create somewhere a mother and daughter could both feel at home. A mom might take Sculpt or Pilates while her daughter is in dance, cheer, or acro. A teenager can come after school, take a class, do homework in the lounge, and see her friends. Women can come for a workout and stay because they’ve found a community.
I love what happens when different generations of women are together. Young girls see strong, active women prioritizing themselves and their friendships, while adults experience the energy and creativity of the next generation.
The goal was never simply to create great dancers or offer great workouts. I want girls to leave The Pearl with confidence, discipline, and a sense of belonging… qualities they can carry with them long after they leave the studio.
The Pearl offers movement, creative programming, and social connection. Why was it important that wellness extend beyond working out?
Wellness is so much bigger than what happens during a 50-minute class.
Movement is a huge part of my life, but so are friendship, creativity, conversation, confidence, and having a place where you feel comfortable being yourself. I wanted The Pearl to reflect all of that.
For younger girls especially, there’s value in having a place that isn’t school or home. Somewhere they can put down their phones, move, spend time with friends, create, hear from inspiring women, participate in community service, or simply sit together in the lounge.
For adults, it can be just as simple. You come in for a workout and, over time, realize you’ve met people and become part of something. That sense of community is one of my favorite things about The Pearl.
We’ve been fortunate to bring together amazing instructors and collaborators, including Isaac Boots, KKSWEAT, DanceBody, and The Sculpt Society, while keeping the experience intimate and personal.
What’s coming up at The Pearl this fall?
Fall feels like an exciting next chapter as we build on what we’ve learned during our first year. We’re expanding our dance and cheer programming for girls, including our competitive teams. I grew up in that world, and I know firsthand how much being part of a team teaches you beyond dance: discipline, accountability, confidence, sportsmanship, and how to show up for others.
We’re also evolving our fitness schedule with returning instructors, new talent, and classes for adults and teens. I want the programming to feel fresh while maintaining the familiarity and community that make The Pearl special.
Beyond classes, we’re continuing to grow our events, conversations, creative programming, community service, and opportunities for women and girls to connect.
We’re only a little over a year old, so I still feel like we’re just getting started. The most exciting part has been listening to our members and watching how they use the space. Some of our best ideas have come from the community, and I want The Pearl to keep evolving with them.
