Teacher Training
LEVEL 1 SILK & HOOP FOUNDATION APRIL 2024: 26th -28th (10am-5pm daily)
LEVEL 2 ADVANCING AERIAL TEACHERS NOV 2024: 22nd-24th (10am-5pm daily)
West Midlands Circus Centre offers hands-on Aerial Teacher Training as a series of intensives that provide in depth knowledge and guidance to those interested in becoming more rounded and knowledgeable aerial teachers.
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Kim Wildborne is the Artistic Director of RoguePlay Theatre and Director of West Midlands Circus Centre. An experienced aerialist with 13 years experience, delivering classes across the UK and Europe and working with those as young as a few months, up to over 60’s. She has extensive experience of working with those with disabilities and is passionate about developing sector safety in aerial teaching practice.
Adrian Wildborne is level 5 qualified Remedial Therapist specialising in working with circus artists. He graduated from the Active School of Complementary Therapy (ASCT) in clinical sports and remedial massage, which is currently the highest qualification that can be held in the UK. Adrian’s primary concern is to educate and enable people to keep training whilst reducing their pain, helping them to recover quickly and equipping them with the knowledge they need to move their practice forwards. Together Kim & Adrian deliver this teacher training course.
We believe it takes more than just good skill level to become a great aerial teacher, which is why our teaching training courses encompass technique and creative approaches, basic anatomy training, injury prevention, safe spotting technique, rigging essentials, class planning and approaches to ‘safe space’. This 3 day teacher training programme aims to equip existing aerial teachers with greater creative and practical knowledge of the apparatus, whilst promoting safe practice.
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Kim & Adrian bring together both technical knowledge of the apparatus and the working body, alongside high level technique and practical understanding of common problems for students, to deliver a course that focuses on building stronger, more efficient bodies without injury and promoting safe practice. The course does not just focus on the delivery of tricks, but also the practical understanding of the body and apparatus in order to understand what can go wrong, where the body is vulnerable and how to spot and develop areas of weakness and identify particular needs of your students to facilitate progression. With this knowledge, participants are able to develop their practice and modify class sessions appropriately to age, ability and working with special needs or disabilities. There is basic rigging training in order to understand equipment and the course provides the basis for more knowledgeable, capable and proficient teachers.
Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, breakdowns of conditioning drills and progressions, anatomical notes and testing, and example session plans. Certification demonstrates that the individual has undertaken the training but should not be regarded as a teaching qualification in its own right.
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Once the Level 1 course has been undertaken, participants can progress to Levels 2 & 3, which include a wider variety of aerial apparatus, postural analysis and a more in-depth approach to anatomy. Studio and company management and set up consultations are also available. Anyone undertaking the Level 1 is welcome to sign up to participate in progressive levels as long as they fulfil the stated prerequisites.
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By the end of Level 1 Training you will be able to demonstrate the following:
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Basic understanding of skeletal anatomy and its application to beginner aerial movement
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Demonstrate understanding of core, shoulder engagement and appropriate techniques for strengthening, lengthening and mobility
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Be comfortable introducing basic skills to students with no prior experience
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Knowledgeable in assessing students and apply a range of progressions
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Demonstrate different delivery skills for classes, i.e. visual, auditory & kinesthetic
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Be comfortable delivering creative practice techniques
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Be confident and comfortable spotting basic movement
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Understand the intrinsic requirements of good physical spotting technique
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Capable of visual spotting at the appropriate level
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Demonstrate competent session planning for different situations
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Demonstrate basic knowledge of rigging including ratings and working load limits, dynamic forces, using round slings and knots, assessing basic rigging materials and kit checking.
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Demonstrate the ability to assess and deliver height of skill practice, control of student numbers, appropriate clothing and verbal delivery
APPLICATION PROCESS
Attendance on the course is by way of a short online application
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PREREQUISITES
Participants must be 18 years or over, have a minimum of one year aerial experience, be able to invert comfortably and repeatedly with ease.
DATES & TIMES:
LEVEL 1 SILK & HOOP FOUNDATION APRIL 2024: 26th -28th (10am-5pm daily)
LEVEL 2 ADVANCING AERIAL TEACHERS NOV 2024: 22nd-24th (10am-5pm daily)
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PLACES
10 places are available on this course by application only
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COST:
£425 total in two instalments
£225 when reserving your place. This is to be paid upfront. (Please refer to our cancellation policy)
£200 no later than 30 days before course starts
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Cancellations:
Due to the popular nature of this course, first instalment payments are non-refundable. Second instalment payments are required no less than 30 days prior to the course start. Once the full fee has been paid it becomes non-refundable. Should the second instalment payment not be made 30 days or more before commencement, the place may be forfeited and offered to another candidate. No first instalment refund will be available in this circumstance.
Should you become unable to attend, you are allowed to sell your place by posting your spot, although we will need to make sure first that the person who takes your place is suitable for joining the program and they will need to make an application. To avoid difficulties, please ensure you are 100% committed before deciding to take the spot.