Elisabeth Crawford received her BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1991. She then moved to San Francisco and formed her own modern dance company, Metamorph Dance. She was a Pilates instructor in San Francisco from 1995 to 2006. She stopped teaching after her son was born to focus on writing and publishing her cookbook Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy.
Elisabeth has written for Pilates Style, Private Clubs, and American Fitness magazines. Balance on the Ball has also been featured in Shape Magazine.
Books by Elisabeth
Balance on the Ball: Exercises Inspired by the Teachings of Joseph Pilates
Balance on the Ball was the first book ever published to blend the techniques of Pilates and stability ball training. Combining the Pilates principles of core control and stabilization with the instability of the Gymnastik Ball, this book provides a balanced workout for people at all levels of fitness. There are over 100 exercises to stretch and strengthen every major muscle group in the body. Each exercise includes helpful tips for maintaining optimal form and alignment, the suggested number of repetitions, modifications or advanced variations, and a list of muscle groups used. Black-and-white photos clearly illustrate each movement.
Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy
Plump gnocchi stuffed with juicy plums and then tossed in browned butter, sugar, and cinnamon? How about pasta filled with dried figs and ricotta, or even chocolate and walnuts? Yes, Italian food is more than just spaghetti, and tiny Friuli–Venezia Giulia—hidden from tourist mobs in Italy’s northeast corner—boasts one of the country’s most distinctive regional cuisines. With influences from Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia, the Friulian people cleverly merge humble, local ingredients with exotic spices from foreign lands, resulting in a cuisine that, while often surprising in its blend of sweet and savory flavors, never ceases to delight the palate. In Flavors of Friuli, Elisabeth Antoine Crawford has compiled eighty of Friuli’s traditional recipes—including frico (Montasio cheese crisps) and gubana (dried fruit and nut spiral cake)—and presents them with clear instructions that any home cook can easily follow.