Independent Instructor Training Programme – New Zealand
Apprentices complete our program as skilled qualified instructors with a deep knowledge of the work, a strong confidence in their abilities, and most important a strong sense of Spirit.
The Romana’s Pilates team of highly experienced and dedicated instructors will mentor you throughout the program, providing hands-on instruction, regular question-answer sessions, one-on-one meetings and group classes.
Under guidance and teaching of our Instructor Trainers we will prepare you for a long and successful career of teaching the method – as it was originally intended by Joseph Pilates.
Practical training
Romana’s Pilates Certification Programme takes the students though all three stages for a minimum of 600 hours practical training.
Testing
Testing involves taking a client at each stage through a session while being observed and graded. Exams are graded using standardised test forms. Written tests are case studies at the beginning, intermediate and advanced level: the students will need to describe a workout for a specific individual, addressing his/her individual limitations and goals. Each test is graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
Personal Workouts
As part of the training, apprentices are required to complete regular private and/or duet sessions with one of our certified instructors until they have successfully passed their final exams. This allows the student to continue their personal growth as well as expose them to a variety of teachings techniques. Students are expected to get to a very advance level before becoming fully certified. You can’t teach an exercise you can’t do.
How do I become an Apprentice?
Initial Assessment
The initial assessment is the first step on the rewarding journey of becoming a Romana’s Pilates Instructor. We recognise that each candidate comes to us with various levels of experience and knowledge in the method and so we assist each applicant to prepare for the assessment and enrolment according to their specific needs.
During the assessment, candidates are expected to demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate level on key pieces of apparatus and show a basic understanding of the principles of Pilates. Enrolment to the program is open to applicants who have been formally assessed and cleared by an authorised instructor.
Certification Stages 1, 2 and 3
The Programme is structured as three Stages – Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Each student must accomplish the activities within each stage before progressing to the next level. Following completion of all three levels, newly Certified Romana’s Pilates Instructors are presented a Certificate of Achievement. Each stage consists of the following activities:
Group Seminar
During the 3-Day seminar, instructor trainers provide a detailed overview of all exercises associated with that stage. The focus is on learning, understanding, performing and teaching. Through this process our students gain a thorough understanding of the goals of each exercise, when and how to introduce exercises, working with injuries and most importantly how to formulate a challenging and effectual session specific to the body in front of them.
Independent Study
Students are expected to complete 200-300 hours of observation (per stage) at our authorised studios and use this time to review, practice and reinforce what was learned during the seminar. We highly encourage our students to ask questions, compile notes, observe teaching techniques and participate in study sessions to enhance this process.
Private Lessons and Apprentice Classes
One-on-one sessions with our Certified Instructors are required for students to integrate the method into their own bodies with focus on technique, precision and flow. Additionally Pilates Unlimited offers Apprentices Classes on a regular basis.
Stage Assessment
Upon completion of the above activities for each stage, the student is evaluated through a practical assessment of competency at teaching and administering exercises, with an additional written element for Stage 2 and 3. These assessments as well as the individuals’ performance throughout the program, contribute to the successful completion of the Romana’s Pilates IITP.
Continuing Pilates Education (CPE)
To maintain the consistency and quality of the Romana’s Pilates IITP all of our instructors must complete at least one CPE event per year to maintain their certification. Our regular continuing education events draw instructors together from around the world to enhance skills, refresh the body and work the mind. In fact, our Instructors are so passionate about what they teach many of them attend multiple CPE events each year – Joseph Pilates never stopped learning and neither will we!
As the ONLY Romana’s Pilates Certification Centre in New Zealand we offer unsurpassed excellence in training and Continuing Professional Education. Our International reputation for producing the finest quality Pilates Instructors ensures that our graduates are respected in the industry and will be able to employ their skills worldwide with confidence.
Current Apprentices
Rose Castillo
Rose Castillo is Chilean and comes from a background in music, theatre, and circus arts. She discovered Yoga and Pilates as a way to keep mentally, physically, and spiritually fit. Rose believes that anyone, no matter what age or physical condition, can improve their quality of life by practicing the authentic Pilates method.
Marcelle Masera
Marcelle Masera is really passionate about movement, health and well-being. She used to be a swimming athlete for long time when she was younger. She’s tried many different sports, but five years ago surfing was the favourite one. Marcelle came to NZ from Brazil to start new studies and pursue her passion as a career. She’s done Pilates before back in Brazil, but she met the Romana’s method for the first time through Pilates Unlimited and it was as love at first sight.
Joao Duarte
Joao Duarte is from the south of Brazil. For eight years he worked in the hotel industry around New Zealand. In 2015 he changed his lifestyle by focusing more on his wellbeing, fitness and nutrition as well as went for a career move, now working with people with Intellectual Disability. Joao reconnected with the Pilates method in 2016 and now seeks a career as an Instructor, his objective is to help others improve their overall quality of life and truly believing Pilates is a key ingredient in one’s recipe for ideal balance.
Sun Ah Bae (SONIA)
Sonia came to NZ from Korea in 2007 with her husband , she now has two Kiwi/Korean children. In Korea Sonia taught swimming to children and adults. Sonia has been a client at the studio for nearly two years and has always had an interest in teaching Pilates. So she is excited to join the training programme at Pilates Unlimited
Adrienne Taylor
Adrienne was recommended to explore Pilates in 2016 as a solution to the physical damage she was doing (and had done) to herself through landscaping work and traditional gym work. Encouraged by the positive results that Pilates has given her as well as the scope and challenge of the discipline, she has decided to study the practice in more depth through the Romana’s Pilates training at Pilates Unlimited Training Centre. Her goal is to become technically proficient so that she can manage her physical health programme.
Pilates Unlimited is aligned with the following organisations in Australia and USA.
For further information click on the website.
