BioniCon 2026: What Happened When I Finally Found My People
I’ve been trying to find the words to describe my weekend at BioniCon since I got home, and I’m not sure I’ve fully succeeded. But I’m going to try, because what happened in Philadelphia on April 17–19, 2026 is something I want to remember forever, and something I think a lot of you need to hear about.
Whether you have a spinal fusion, scoliosis, or another complex diagnosis, this one’s for you.
What Is BioniCon?
BioniCon is a conference created by The Bionic Project, a community built for and by people living with scoliosis and spinal conditions. It’s a weekend where people who’ve spent their whole lives feeling like medical anomalies — like outsiders in every gym, every yoga class, every “just listen to your body” fitness environment — finally get to be in a room full of people who get it.
Keynote speakers, workshops, an exhibition hall, panels, and more. But honestly? The real magic was in the hallways. At the lunch tables. In the moments between sessions.
“We Are Normal Here.”
Meredith Montana, the founder of The Bionic Project, closed out the weekend with four words that I haven’t stopped thinking about:
“We are normal here.”
I’ve spent a lot of years (and I know many of you have too) feeling like my body was a problem to be solved. A complication to apologize for. A reason I didn’t quite fit in any movement space that was designed with a “typical” spine in mind.
BioniCon was the first time I’ve ever been in a room where that feeling just… didn’t exist.
We laughed at jokes nobody else has ever gotten. We talked about things that, for most of us, have never felt safe to say out loud. And we kept looking around at each other saying some version of “I just can’t believe we’re all here.”
Scared, lonely, stressed teenage Allie, the one who got her diagnosis and felt like her body had become a stranger, would have loved this weekend. And she would have been thrilled to know that adult Allie got to stand in front of a whole room of scoliosis warriors and share the thing that changed her life: movement.
I Led a Workshop (And It Was Surreal)
One of the most meaningful parts of the weekend was leading my own Havenwell Pilates workshop for BioniCon attendees. And somewhere in the middle of it, I looked out at the room and had a moment I wasn’t prepared for.
They all move like me.
And not just in the technical sense. Not just the curve pulls and the compensations and the hardware-specific things I’ve spent years learning to teach around. It was bigger than that. It was the realization that every single person in that room had spent years navigating fitness spaces that weren’t built for them. Modifying on their own. Feeling like an afterthought, or worse, a liability.
And here we all were, finally in a room that was actually designed for us.
I’ve never felt that before as a teacher. I don’t think many of my students have felt it as movers. Getting to teach movement to people who actually understand what it means to live in a fused spine, people who aren’t going to look at me blankly when I talk about hardware, or what it feels like when you hit a limit during a certain exercise… that was something I’ve only ever dreamed about.
I was also on a panel about proactively caring for scoliotic bodies. I talked about the importance of caring both for our physical selves and for our mental health as we move through life with scoliosis. The room was alive with questions and feedback, and watching my fellow scoli sisters realize that there *are* resources and support systems out there for them was, well, incredible.
We Celebrated Our Spines in the Most Beautiful Way
One of the optional sessions at BioniCon was a spine painting activity. Attendees could have their spines and scars painted and celebrated as art. And watching women show off their spines, some of them maybe for the very first time, was one of the most quietly powerful things I’ve ever witnessed.
These are bodies that have been through surgeries, recoveries, hardware placements and replacements, second opinions, and years of pain management. Bodies that have often been hidden under clothing or kept out of certain movements out of fear or shame. And there they were, being celebrated. Painted. Beautiful.
I was one of them. And I won’t pretend it didn’t get emotional.
This is exactly why spaces like BioniCon matter. And it’s exactly why I do the work I do.
Meeting My Instagram Friends IRL
Something cool happens when you build an online community around a really specific, deeply personal experience. You know people in a way that’s hard to explain. You’ve followed their recoveries, cheered on their milestones, sent encouraging comments at 11pm when someone posted about a hard flare day.
And then you’re suddenly in the same room as them, and someone takes a selfie and your brain goes: “Holy sh*t, all of my Instagram friends are here IRL and this is insane.”
(Thanks, Caroline, for the selfie below that captured that moment for me. Also, where else are you going to find a group of people comparing spine x-rays in the wild?!)
The connection I felt this weekend was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever experienced. I don’t think I even knew how much I was craving this kind of community until I was standing right in the middle of it.
What I Brought to BioniCon (And What I’m Building for You)
At my booth, I officially soft-launched something I’ve been building for a while:
Your Movement Map. A complete virtual movement experience designed specifically for people with fusions, scoliosis, chronic pain, and other unique body needs.
Here’s how it works: we start with a 50-minute virtual movement assessment where I get to know your body, your hardware, your goals, and your daily life. From there, I build you a personalized home movement guide — a PDF that’s actually yours. Not a generic program. Not something you could have Googled. A real, customized starting place created for your body, by someone who has a fusion herself and has spent years teaching people just like you.
The response at BioniCon was really special. People kept stopping at my booth to ask about it, and more than a few said some version of “this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
That meant everything.
Ready to Start Moving?
The doors for Your Movement Map will open on May 29th, 2026. Want to stay in the loop when it opens? You can join the waitlist here and be the first to know when this virtual experience is available for booking.
If you’re not quite ready for a 1:1 experience but want to start exploring movement on your own, my on-demand Pilates collections are a great place to begin. Every class includes modifications for various fusion levels and mobility ranges, and they’re designed to feel approachable, not intimidating.
And if you want to go deep on the education side, my Thriving Beyond Surgery Masterclass Series covers Pilates modifications for spinal fusion, fusion-friendly hip and shoulder release techniques, and finding confidence after surgery.
Thank You
To everyone who stopped by the booth, came to the workshop, said hi in the hallway, or just existed in that space with me this weekend, thank you. It was an absolute gift to meet you in person.
I can already tell I’m going to have a hard time getting back to real life after this surreal weekend, and I can’t wait for next year!
About Havenwell Pilates
Havenwell Pilates is a specialized Pilates studio in Franklin, Tennessee, offering private and semi-private sessions both in-person and virtually. Our team specializes in working with clients who have spinal fusions for scoliosis, chronic pain conditions, and those who need modifications for their unique bodies. Every session is customized to meet you where you are, with a focus on sustainable, empowering movement.
Ready to get started? We have openings for private Pilates sessions throughout the week! New clients can try 3 private sessions (in-studio or virtual!) for $300. Fill out the session request form to get started today.