Continuum Movement Teacher Program (CMTP)

Dates for upcoming US training 2024-2026
Dates for current European training 2022-2024

The prerequisite to apply for the 500 hour “Continuum Movement Teacher Program” is 100 hours from any current Authorized Continuum Movement teachers or by taking the either the Essential Elements of Continuum online course or the Deepening into Continuum Movement online course.

Once the above prerequisite has been fulfilled, the next step is to fill out the CMTP application.  Once your application is submitted we will set up an interview for you with Donnalea.

The Continuum Movement Training Program is a 500-hour course, taught in 10 modules. The program starts with Module 1 which must be taken before any others. Once you have taken Module 1 you may take any modules that work with your schedule. They don’t have to be taken in numerical order except Module 10 must be taken last. I have designed this program to include the full scope of CM: philosophy of Continuum Movement, wave motion, breath, anatomy, physics, developmental movement, and group dynamics. The deep sense of community that comes from these modules is one of the best parts of learning and sharing.

Subject matter will include the philosophy of Continuum Movement, wave motion, breath, anatomy, physics, developmental movement, and group dynamics.

At the completion of the course, if you are interested in becoming a Continuum Movement Teacher you would submit your application and a DVD of you leading a small group in a dive to the Continuum Movement Teachers Board for their review and acceptance to become a Continuum Movement Teacher.  For more information click this link: After completion of the training

Cost and Scholarship information for CMTP

All of our Authorized Continuum Movement Teachers sign a yearly contract, provide proof of liability insurance, and pay the yearly teacher’s dues. They are also asked to keep current with the work by participating in a teachers meeting at least every other year.

CONTINUUM MOVEMENT TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

Founded by Emilie Conrad, Continuum Movement is a dynamic inquiry into what it is to be a human being, providing a method to consciously explore ourself as an unfolding biological and planetary process.  Water, and the fact that the body composition is mostly of water, is considered of great importance. Central goals of Continuum are the creation of health and wellness and how to free oneself from cultural and mechanistic constraints of modern society. It maintains movement is the message and the way.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CONTINUUM

Breath: All movement originates with breath. Fixations, compensatory patterns, family history, trauma and emotional stress are all maintained in the movement or inhibition of breath. By engaging with variations in breathing, we are able to stimulate a wide spectrum of internal sensations, responses and movements. Healing, growth and all mobility, whether physical, emotional or spiritual, are enhanced by the dexterity of breath.

Sound: Sound is audible breath, penetrating the density of locked tissue. It eases mobility while releasing areas of stagnation and stress. Specific sound frequencies engage various systems of the body. By coupling sound with movement, we increase the agility of both. Sounding further connects us with each other and to the resonant whole, providing another source for communication.

Movement: Continuum’s movements are designed specifically to enhance the undulating spirals and circularity of the fluid system. A full range of non-patterned movement, from dynamic full-bodied expression to subtle micro-movements, stimulates neurological growth and vibrancy. Undulating wave motion permeates tissue, softens boundaries and amplifies sensation. Wave motion is the primary access to our bio-intelligence that is not bound by time, space or condition.

Sensation and Pleasure: In Continuum, we use sensation as a guide for awakening the body’s mysteries and the activating principle of the life force that feeds and nurtures the entire system. Sensations of pleasure create an inviting climate for self-renewal.

SOMATIC BASED TEACHING USING THE CONTINUUM MODEL

Students will be provided with both conceptual and experiential instruction in movement, hands-on, and verbal facilitation for working with both groups and individuals. The curriculum includes movement education principles, related in great part to the body’s fluid system. Movement observation and analysis will include refined levels of witnessing in the degree of restriction -versus- freedom of movement. Movement illustrates the inseparability of mind and body, illustrating how perceptual states relate to physical states.

Elements of anatomy/physiology will be integrated into the experience of each module’s curricular focus, with specific modules giving attention toward the biology and physics underlying Continuum principles. Because this work is exploratory in nature, the basic methods and principles will be covered within the context of each module, yet some of the specific material will not be covered in each class and additional material may be added. The courses will combine and juxtapose the study of anatomy with visuals, models, experiential somaticizations and imagery-based movement experiences. These images and models of structures in our bodies, some more poetic – some more prosaic, will help students change states and develop satisfying movement, and learn to provide those experiences for their potential students. In addition to exploring aspects of their own and other’s anatomy through guided movement, students will learn to distinguish a few key structures by touch (palpation and sensing). The knowledge gained about the shape and function of elements of the body enables students to use anatomical imagery as a basis for further Continuum Movement exploration.

Threads of developmental aspects of pre and peri-natal imprints, Cellular consciousness, and Embryological influences as they relate to what it means to be human will be addressed throughout the modules, and given specific attention in certain modules. Each module in the program will include a thread of instruction on appropriate use of touch and hands-on re-patterning for the purpose of communication with clients and students, employing guidance with one’s hands to help facilitate active movement patterns that he or she will be able to continue to utilize independently.   We will work with anatomical images and learn to distinguish a few key structures by touch. Attitude is just as important as knowledge of technique, anatomy or biomechanics – these classes will also be very much about boundaries, respect and listening.

Continuum Movement is not a technique. The methodology is ever evolving, yet the core principles remain constant. The program will give special emphasis to plasticity of the bio-system, and the crucial role that senses and perception play in our experience. The teaching process in Continuum is a cumulative, experiential process where new concepts are constantly introduced and old concepts constantly revisited. Therefore, the modular outline presented below represents curricular mileposts of progress rather than simply a linear timeline.

In a typical classroom, sessions normally consist of a preliminary theoretical outline, a teacher demonstration of the intended movement sequence, experiential movement surrounding the material laid out for the sequence, followed by open discussion responses and potential professional application. A strong emphasis is placed on observing baseline conditions found in student’s biosystems, witnessing the shifts that occur in the process of engaging in the sequence of subtle movement/breath/sound/sensory awareness, sharing insights and learning from one another. Classes include guided explorations, free discussion and discovering spontaneous doors of insight. Students share their experiences of overcoming resistance and of reaching new, open areas of exploration. A typical Continuum session will vary between 2-3 hours, unless there is a specific intention set for an intensive.

Student Homework & Extra-Curricular Activities: Students are required to work outside of class time with volunteer clients of their own using specified approaches from classes. Reports for each of their private sessions must be submitted for review. For successful graduation, students must display competence with basic somatic bodywork techniques. To become an authorized Continuum Teacher a student must work with feedback and supervision of faculty members to obtain their certification.   Students who pursue a Continuum Teacher Certification must demonstrate that they are able to effectively work with private clients and group situations. Students will be assessed on participation in the program with a pass/fail, reviewed following each module and again once they have completed their courses and homework.

This workshop is recommended and encouraged for those of you who are interested in becoming an embodied somatics teacher. We are very excited to offer this opportunity as it will be the foundation course for becoming a certified Continuum Movement Teacher. Teaching is a whole body process. Too often the somatics of teaching is ignored and overlooked. This course will use the Continuum model and philosophy for helping anyone interested to become a more masterful teacher.

If you have any questions please contact the office.

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