Joyful Movement Life Skills: Reformer Training - Certificate of Achievement

The Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Certificate of Achievement is designed for students who seek dance and wellness integration opportunities that prepare them for careers as nationally certified Pilates instructors and other commercial whole body and fitness ventures. Study includes safe and effective Pilates industry standards, mind-body wellness business industry principles, Pilates technique theory and methodology, dance integration, restorative mind-body healing, Pilates teaching and learning pedagogy, and Pilates Reformer technical applications.

The Reformer Training Certificate of Achievement is the second in a series of three progressive Pilates teacher training preparation programs offered through the Department of Dance at Laney college. This program is designed to equip students with exceptional knowledge, skills, and teacher preparation foundation for Pilates-based movement systems. Successful completion of one or more Joyful Movement Life Skills Pilates training programs leads to careers in fitness centers, health and wellness centers, or privately owned studios. Some students may choose to pursue more education to incorporate Pilates into careers such as personal training, sports medicine, physical and dance movement therapy.  

Students who complete program requirements for the following three certificates will be well prepared to sit for the Pilates Method Alliance National Certification Exam.

Each certificate must be completed independently and in sequence. 

1. Joyful Movement Life Skills Mat Training: The Joyful Movement Life Skills Mat Training Certificate of Achievement is a prerequisite to entering the Reformer Training program.

2. Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training: The Joyful Movement Life Skills ReformerTraining Certificate of Achievement is a prerequisite to entering the Comprehensive ApparatusTraining program.

3. Joyful Movement Life Skills Comprehensive Training: The Joyful Movement Life Skills Mat AND ReformerTraining Certificates of Achievement are prerequisites to entering the Comprehensive ApparatusTraining program. 

Students enter the Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Certificate of Achievement Program as a cohort cluster. Students must attend a one-hour online program orientation prior to enrollment. Students should contact the Department Chair of Dance for more information., 

https://laney.edu/dance/

It is projected that 10 students will complete this program annually.

The Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Program in the Department of Folk Dance at Laney College is designed to equip students with exceptional knowledge, training, and skills of the Balanced Body Pilates Movement Principles with Dance integration understanding in any field. The Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Program is the second of three progressive certificates students may undertake to prepare themselves to sit for the Pilates Method Alliance National Certification Exam. Completion of this certificate will provide students with the preparation and necessary skills to work in entry-level Pilates positions such as Reformer training and body conditioning instructors, Gym or community center instructors, teach in privately owned Pilates studios or develop their own clientele.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Select the appropriate design and implementation for physical and wellness-based training and mind-body awareness from an anatomical approach for general body conditioning

• Select the appropriate design and implementation for physical and wellness-based training and mind-body awareness from an anatomical approach to assess general back and joint pain

• Design safe, mind-body wellness programs for diverse populations including fall prevention strategies for seniors and pre/post natal exercises for pregnant women

• Develop a mindful understanding and approach in how to work with various body types integrating Pilates-based movement principles and teaching methodologies

• Demonstrate, synthesize, and evaluate proper Pilates Reformer exercises and their application to train and modify for intergenerational populations with diverse body types and fitness levels.

The Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Certificate of Achievement program will enable students to integrate foundational Pilates concepts with practical technical skills, which ensures they gain real-world applied knowledge to be truly job-ready. The Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training Certificate is the second in a series of progressive training in Pilates technique, application, and Joseph Pilates teaching methodologies. Courses for the Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training program are only offered as a cohort cluster. Course completion for this certificate can be completed in one semester. 

Pre-requisite:

Completion of coursework for the Joyful Movement Life Skills Mat Training Certificate of Achievement program is a prerequisite for the Reformer Training Certificate program. Completion of the Joyful Movement Life Skills Reformer Training coursework is a pre-requisite to the Joyful Movement Life Skills Comprehensive Apparatus Training Program.

Observation hours and open studio sessions:

Students must meet required hours for Personal Sessions, Observation Hours, and Student-Student teaching. Joyful Movement open studio sessions allow students to improve self-technique, practice exercises on Pilates equipment, and meet required student teaching hours. Students are expected to complete Personal Sessions, Observation Hours, and Practice Teaching by taking and observing classes. Students must be enrolled in the full program to access Joyful Movement Open Studio sessions. The department and college adhere to COVID-19 CDC guidelines which may impact student access to open studio sessions, including but not limited to mask-wearing, temperature checks and compliance with additional safety and sanitization protocols.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
DANCFOLK 099F	Dance Movement Curriculum Integration	3.00	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 099P	Reformer Teacher Training	3.00	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 105P	Restorative Mind Body Healing III	1.00	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 115P	Pilates Joyful Movement IV: Personal/Observation/Student Teaching	1.00	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 120P	Pilates Technique IV	0.50	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 122P	Mind Body Business Models I	1.00	Y2, S1
DANCFOLK 124P	Intergenerational Wealth and Wellness I	1.00	Y2, S1

Understanding the connection between Pilates and Dance Movement Technique A folk dance is movement developed by people that reflect the life of the people of a certain country or region. Joseph Pilates, (b. 1883, d. 1967) recognized the need for a universal people's movement that centered the attention of the body and mind on health and wellness through specific technical application and equipment. European folk ballet utilizes the ballet barre; modern dance requires dancing barefoot; and hip-hop and ethnic dance forms compel a dynamic relationship to music. Pilates movement technique has a long-standing relationship to dancers since the 1960’s when Pilates became popular in the ballet world. Unfortunately, accessibility to Pilates training, just like professional ballet training, is disproportionate among students of color. Moving the Needle on Equity in the Pilates Industry Research reveals an equity gap exists in the field of Pilates fitness/Pilates Dance-fitness (Balanced Body, 2020). Ex: There is only one African American Balanced Body Pilates Master Instructor in Northern California; two African American Balanced Body Master Pilates instructors in the state of California; and less than one handful of Balanced Body Master Pilates instructors of color who hold careers in the SF Bay Area. Balanced Body, the international Pilates industry leader recognizes the need to diversify and is actively seeking African American and instructors of color to fill this gap, (Balanced Body, DiversityInPilates.com, 2020). Pilates companies historically conduct skills-based hiring. The Reformer Certificate of Achievement Program will enable under-represented populations to gain entry-level employment in the Pilates industry and health and wellness sectors by 1) preparing students with the necessary skills to meet the demands of a highly skilled profession and 2) prepare students with the knowledge and confidence to pursue careers in a high paying industry that has been historically inaccessible and exclusionary to students of color.

There are no other Certificates of Achievements in Reformer Training within this service area East Bay Regions (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties).