Moving On Areobics © Teacher Training

Moving on Aerobic teachers have traditionally been volunteers in hospitals and community centers. We are most often Dynamic Embodiment/Moving On Center graduates and/or registered as Somatic Movement Therapists with dance teaching experience. Fitness professionals with a background in Laban Movement Analysis and Body Mind Centering may also apply to be trained. Other Fitness professionals should begin with taking related courses (See step 2 below). Instructors must engage in the following steps in order to become certified:

The Moving On Aerobics Teacher Training Process:

Six Explorations in Preparing to be a Registered MOA teacher can be engaged with in various orders:

1. Take the Class. Take the Movement for Life© Dance for Recovery class designed by Dr. Martha Eddy and called Moving On Aerobics. Live classes must be attended as often as possible (at minimum 10 sessions; ideally 5 - 7 with MOA founder Martha Eddy; however its important to experience other teachers too).
2. Take Related Courses. In order to truly understand the logic of this class teachers need to have studied in the Dynamic Embodiment-SMTT or at least satisfactorily completed the following Phase 1 DE-SMTT courses: Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Embodied Anatomy & Physiology, Dynamic Movement-Dynamic Health©, and Somatic Integration. Additional Phase One DE-SMTT courses such as Body Counseling, Dynamics of Touch and Somatic Movement practice are beneficial.
3. Learn the eight ‘classic’ MOA Routines. This is done in person and through using video support. The goal is to learn this baseline choreography so that then you can put your own creativity into the program still using the logic of self-care and joyous expression developed for MOA.
4. Read, Ask Questions and Pass the Exam. Develop an understanding of the value of exercise and somatic education in helping with breast cancer survivorship, as well as issues that arise with other types of cancers and chronic illnesses. Teacher trainees send $75 payable to Moving On Center/MOA for a copy of the video to study and practice the choreography at home. The video will includes the MOA manual too. This theoretical component informs the logic of the dance sequences and of your teaching process. It culminates in a multiple choice and short answer exam.
5. Integrate your own Experience and Creativity. It’s important to have prior experience teaching group classes (NIA, yoga, dance, Pilates or Lebed etc). Volunteer at CKE for more teaching experience if you don’t already have this.
6. Assessment of Your Teaching. Practice your teaching and have peer review. Arrange to have Martha Eddy or another advanced MOA instructor observe you teaching MOA classes and to give feedback (this may be done by video/DVD).  This should be scheduled after you have passed your take-home exam and you feel you are close to knowing the content and process of teaching MOA.

Plan to do as many of the above explorations as outlined above at your location, with awareness of what your work life and finances allow for.  You are encouraged to brainstorm ways to substitute training steps as needed with the MOC-East administration.

Note that additional workshops teach other Movement for Life programming. Martha Eddy’s Movement for Life© classes help people with diverse health issues to safely experience exercise and dance. MOA has been reported to be helpful to people experiencing other challenges besides cancer. For instance people with asthma, auto-immune disease, joint ailments, pulmonary problems, weakened self-image, broken bones, and weight loss problems have described satisfying changes from regular participation in MOA classes. Specific Movement for Life classes are being developed to address the varying needs of different people. Learn about Moving On with Yoga.

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MOA Teacher Application Process:

1. Send a letter to Moving On Aerobics/Martha Eddy describing what your training goals are and proposing what your personalized process will be relative to the six steps listed above. Send $75 for training materials.
2. Upon acceptance sign a letter of agreement that indicates that you will not use this material unless you credit the Moving On Aerobics© history, name and processes and that you will always contribute a negotiable percentage of any income earned back to the non-profit governing body – Moving On Center. Percentages are based on the interaction of rent, promotional outreach, and teacher fees exchanged. It is understood that all MOA classic dances and their underlying principles are the intellectual property of Dr. Martha Eddy. Your contributions to the MOA lexicon will be credited.
3. Sign student contract.

MOA Teacher Training Costs:

1. Applicants that are accepted become matriculated teacher trainees and send $125 payable to Moving On Center/MOA for a copy of training materials. Materials include the video to study and practice the choreography at home, a teaching manual, and a CD of music for the ‘classic choreography. These are mailed once your payment has been received after you are accepted into the program.
2. $50 to request the exam, take it and have it graded. Redo questions that need correction or further elaboration.
3. $50 for final certification: teach a class that Martha Eddy or another senior instructor observes or send a videotape for review. Criteria for passing: demonstrate a good understanding of all components of the class (see manual) including teaching style, ethics, and knowledge of health precautions.  Opportunities for supervised teaching prior to final certification are brainstormed based on your location.  Seize these opportunities as live interaction and feedback is to be prized!

MOA teacher workshops are reasonably priced to encourage more participation. On-going certified teacher meetings are free until further notice.  Teachers are encouraged to attend a workshop once a year to share their latest developments and to bring questions back to the team. They may be asked to contribute to studio rental fees.

Additional MOA Teacher Considerations:

1. Periodic newsletters will describe how we are fundraising and create partnerships to pay teachers for on-going classes.  Our teacher workshops discuss how to go about setting up both free and pay-for-service classes.
2. If requested we may switch the format of these communiqués to a members only blog that we can share our questions, photos, resources on. Teachers are asked to become computer literate.
3. MOA teachers also agree to visit www.MovingOnAerobics.org at least a few times a year and direct students, funders, doctors, and fitness directors to our programs and website as often as possible. They also keep their bio up-to-date, send the NYC office their schedule of classes, and if in good standing as teachers may share in the use of certain data bases.
4. Teacher status may become defunct if communication with Martha Eddy or Moving On Center is not up to par. To remain a Certified MOA teacher one must keep us apprised of your own contact information, participate in annual meetings or remain in email communication about one’s teaching experiences, submit participant contact information and class attendance logs, and pay all agreed-upon percentage fees.

Thank you for your interest in this compassionate work. We welcome applicants who demonstrate commitment and passion for this helping others.

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