by Jessie Goldberg & Eugene Poku

Do I need to be certified to teach AcroYoga?
This question is the instigator for this list. Jessie& Eugene, the founders of the style began compiling the AYM syllabus in 1998, very early days! If they had had the opportunity in the 90’s to take a training, here are some of the questions they would have asked…
P.S. A certificate is a simple piece of paper; it only has the value we place on it with our intentions and our actions. What is valuable about a certification program is knowledge, it feels good to teach from a place of knowing.

Can I get a breakdown of Montreal TT content?
Look under the Level 1 & Level 2 tabs

Can I see a sample schedule?

Sample day schedule, subject to change
7:00 - 8:00 : Yoga, Warm Up, Pre-hab, Functional Movement
8:00 - 9:00 : Acroyoga flow
9:00 - 9:30 : Snack Break
9:30: - 12:30 : Intermediate Acroyoga skills / Handstands / Games / Chi-Ball journey
12:30 - 1:30 : Lunch
1:30 - 2:00 : Rhythm drills/Dance/Poetic self expression
2:00 - 3:30 : The foundations of Acroyoga Montreal style and teaching pedagogy
3:30 - 4:00 : Flow building / creative process
4:00 - 4:30 : Daily Diagnostics / Core training

LEVEL 1 JULY 4-16, 2023

LEVEL 2, JULY 18-30,2023

I want to submit the 2 application videos but I do not have access to a partner, what should I do?
We have options for folks in that situation, contact us for more details.

I have an AcroYoga practice, however I don’t think I can complete all the movements in the requirement videos…
These videos are a chance to get acquainted with you. Feel free to fly, base and spot, all are important. Also you are welcome to modify the movements to work on your body. Be creative and make the adjustments necessary.

Where is the venue? –  Espace 215
This will be the fourth year working at Espace 215, an accessible, user friendly spot with lots of room to spread out. There are sprung wood floors (old and creaky but soft), cross breeze for ventilation, large reception area and chill out zone. We provide yoga mats, as well as props and toys. Super good location, adjacent to Jarry Park, a major Acroyoga jam site.

What about food at the venue: break/lunch/local restaurants?
We have 2 breaks daily. 30 minutes from 9-9:30 am for snacks and 60 minutes for lunch from 12:30-1:30pm.  AYM will be providing healthy snacks & coconut water at affordable prices. You are welcome to bring your lunch, there is a fridge and microwave at our disposal at the venue. There is a large grocery store near by and many restaurants and snack bars in the vicinity.
Montreal tap water is very drinkable, no fluoride.

What about Accommodations/Food/Restaurants in Montreal?
Montreal is a foody place, there are tons of dining choices, many vegetarian and vegan friendly spots. Prices are a little high post Covid, however pretty affordable over all. There are many conveniently located grocery stores, 24 hours’ convenience stores and specialty shops (Halal, kosher etc…)

Regarding accommodations, the greater Montreal AcroYoga/yoga community has been supporting this teacher training for many years by offering inexpensive or free billeting for many participants during the TT. These spots are limited so please research for short term rentals in the Montreal area for your stay.

What language is used at the training?
The teacher training in Montreal is an English teacher training with French & Spanish translation available when needed.

Have you been planning to join us for some time but have faced issues with getting into Canada?                                                                                                                                   AYM supplies letters of invitation for foreign participants who require a Visa to enter Canada

Is the financial reality of the TT an immovable obstacle?
Talk to us about our scholarship program. AYM has a 3 instalments payment plan, reach out for more details

Do you have group rates?
Yes, reach out and lets chat

Is there any actual teaching of the public included in the training?
Yes, indeed, during the month we have 2 community days, where the public is invited to participate in 6 free AcroYoga sessions. These classes are taught by the TT participants in teaching groups, class planning is part of the exercise. Feedback for these classes is offered by the participants and evaluation is offered by the AYM instructors.   

How many participants do you accept in the training?
Our smallest was 9, largest 45. Ideal number is 24 so we all get acquainted

Do I have to keep giving money to AYM after I am certified?
No (unless you really insist LOL)

Is certification guaranteed?
Very rarely, we delay certification of an individual until specific homework assignments are completed. There is no sense in certifying folks as experts in their field before it is appropriate.

Why so much yoga?
The practice is called AcroYoga and yoga is half of the equation. This is a breath based practice, with a focus on the process and not only on the outcome. Yoga prepares the body and the mind for the partner postures to come.
Acroyoga is “being in the moment in balance with another“ -Eugene Poku & Jessie Goldberg

Are you unsure of your technical level, ability to safely execute the materials given?
Use the application process, which includes a video of yoga and AcroYoga fundamentals to gauge your capacity. Remember, creative modification is awesome and valid. The AYM way is,” get in where you fit in.” P.S. when we are viewing application videos, we are looking for creative adaptability, partner communication, spotting, basing flying, we want to see it all!

Is there space in this training for modifications and variations?
Yes, always and forever. In fact, it is a large part of the learning process and helps us  keeps it real when relating to our students in our classes.

Can I work at my own pace in the training?
Certainly, in fact we encourage it, as it is part of the learning process. It is a relief for us as teachers when participants in the training know how to self manage.

Is there dancing?
Yes

Will we practice handstands?
Yes, there is daily arm balancing practice (Heidi’s handstand haven).

Will I learn to spot?
You better believe it!

What is the age range of participants?
17-65 years old and counting. This teacher training is about ability, intention, human reciprocity, creativity, teaching pedagogy, but it is not about age.

Will I feel comfortable in this program if I am not “standard sized”?
A big part of our mandate at AYM is to break down and break away from oppressive aesthetic stereotypes and so called traditional body size models. All sizes are accommodated in this training

Is the Montreal training culturally diverse?
In general, the AcroYoga community in Canada is predominately white. Over the years things have started to shift. AYM trainings always include people from various cultural backgrounds and continents

Will I be comfortable at this training is if I am transgender, gender fluid, have established my own gender identity, etc…?
This is an open training in an open city, never had an issue at the training. Please reach out for a voice to voice conversation for further discussion.

Does the pedagogy of the TT deal with social issues?
Yes, most definitely we deal with issues of social injustice, oppression and privilege, we build a safe space manifesto among our selves, a living document. We examine and breakdown the AYM code of conduct. These topics are not separate from the practice, they are intrinsically woven into the teaching methodology, reflecting the realities of the world around us.

Is the teacher training accessible to neuro-divergent individuals?
Please reach out for a voice to voice conversation.

Can I attend if I have limited mobility?
Yes, please reach out for a voice to voice conversation.

How will I be supported by AYM after I am certified?
•    We will publicise your classes, workshops and other events on the acroyga.com website.
•    You will have a teacher profile page, so you can list and promote your events.
•    If you tag AcroYoga Montreal in posting your events, AYM will share them on their social platforms.
•    We will recommend you as an instructor when inquires come to us for teachers in a certain area.
•    We will act as a sounding board and mediators if issues/situations arise in your AcroYoga community

How many certified Acroyoga Montreal teacher are there world wide?
More than 500 and counting…

How many teacher trainings per year does AcroYoga Montreal offer?
1- 4 per year

I am in recovery from a negative experience in the Acroyoga world and need to play safe.
Reach out and let’s chat.

Are you hesitant to attend because teaching others is not your goal?
Many participants attend the teacher training to enhance and refine their personal practice, with no intention of teaching professionally once certified

Can I attend the fitness/Acroyoga modules only?
Every training we accommodate folks who participate in the non teaching sessions exclusively.  The a.m. sessions are devoted to technical refinement and Acroyoga flow, not teaching pedagogy, if you would like to attend the morning sessions only and have question, reach out

Is it a closed group or are outsiders going to be coming and going during the training?
We are a closed group; however, some folks participate in the a.m. sessions only. We have 2 days of community classes where we welcome the public into the space for Acroyoga fun.

Is there a large AcroYoga community in Montreal?
Yes, plenty of jams, classes, and social events in July. AYM started the first Acroyoga jam in Montreal in 2003 and it is still going strong every Sunday. The Montreal crew is actually very welcoming and look forward to playing with the TT’s in the summer.
Acromtl- AcroYoga in Montreal Facebook group
Acroyoga Jams Montréal                                                                                                  AcroYoga Jam in Jeanne-Mance Park  

Is there Nature in Montreal?
Yes, several huge parks, nature trails, mega bike paths, public beaches, outdoor adult workout stations, etc…

Will there be whips and pops?
No, but you can find them at the jams.

Why should I take this teacher training?  Why Montreal?
You come to Montreal for love, because you love the practice, want to share it in relative safety with loved one, other humans. Because you are aware of its value as a teaching tool, a purveyor/conveyor, because you are aware of the therapeutic applications of the practice, and because you love to get down! Yes, to this because you want a technical refresher and recharger and you want to nerd out on the new stuff. And because the teachers at the Montreal school are dope(awesome).
Here is the link for some  student testimonials 

The Montreal instructors…

Who are Jessie & Eugene?
Jessie and Eugene are the founders of Acroyoga Montreal. They have been working together since 1982. Professional dancers from 1982- 2004, 2004-2016 founders and co-owners of Ashtanga yoga Montreal. Acroyoga was a natural mutation of their dance, they coined the term AcroYoga in 1999 to describe their fusion of dance, acrobatics and yoga.

A teaching team since 1982, this senior married couple connects the dots between mind, body, breath and relationships. It is the sharing of self that touches the student’s heart and fosters understanding and a desire for growth within both student and teacher. Knowing our place in the world only happens when we know our world. At Acroyoga Montreal there is no separation of AcroYoga, yoga, and reality. To live apart from this world is not the goal but to transform ourselves and our societies rooted in a deep understanding of the social, political and economic systems & institutions we engage with on a daily basis.

Who are Jill & Heidi?
Jill Campbell & Heidi Blais have been Integral members of AcroYoga Montreal since 2010 and part of the Teacher Training Team since 2011, Heidi and Jill love to guide practitioners into experiences of alignment, balance and creativity. Grounded in practicality, filled with humor, and inspiringly meticulous, their teachings emphasize adaptability and aim to cultivate a sense of empowerment and longevity as we move together.

Heidi Blais
Born in California and based in Montreal, Heidi left a career in architecture to pursue an incurable interest for movement and balance arts. 10 years later, she is renowned as a creator and teacher of original Acroyoga repertoire and has shared her work in over 25 countries. She pioneered the world of hands-free balances, similar-sized partnering and original counterbalances. A long-distance highliner, Heidi crossed 2 world-record length highlines, measuring 1.9 and 2.0 kilometers, respectively. She practices, teaches and performs in the disciplines of hand-balance, contact improvisation, slackline, hair hanging and hand-to-hand. She performs seasonally with Cirque Branché, is a senior teacher at the Acroyoga Montreal teacher trainings, and coaches private handstands classes.

Heidi enjoys empowering and uplifting people through teaching movement. There is nothing more satisfying to her than feeling a space ‘breathe’, witnessing people be present in their bodies, and co-creating a joyful environment for self-discovery and connection.

Jill Campbell
For Jill, Acroyoga is about joyful engagement, embodied awareness and relationship forms. Some of the moments that bring her deeper into the wonder of the practice include: watching someone discover Acroyoga for the first time, driving her physical abilities into new territories, pulsing with a partner through a movement or flow, and guiding someone to share this practice authentically and effectively. Her goal is to share the transformative power of the practice with precision, safety and joy.

Jill’s practice is firmly rooted in Asana and a broader yoga practice. First introduced to Yoga in 1999, she has been instructing since 2006. With its balanced blend of the sociability, physicality and creativity, Acroyoga became a lifelong practice and passion for her over a decade ago when she realized the beauty of blending circus and yoga into one. The yoga expands far from the physical for her in all practices. She is honoured to guide a Hatha Vinyasa teacher training in Montreal and to be an integral part of the Acroyoga Montreal Teacher Training team.

Her everyday balances a bubbling household, a thriving schedule and a pleasure for song, dance, skis, kayaks and bikes.  

A word from the founders (Jessie& Eugene)
“AcroYoga Montreal, oh that’s the dancers”.  When we hear it, and we hear it often, it makes us smile. Because yes of course we are the dancers and that’s where it all began, as a professional dance duo from 1982-2004. That dance base is where we are from and brings a creative and fluid quality to the work. Our yoga practice began as fitness/ mental concentration training for the demands of our dance career. Yoga allowed us to maintain a studio, bring 3 kids into the world and pay the bills while we established Acroyoga Montreal. Yoga brings the breath and the mental concentration, a foundational way of working.

In 1998 we began teaching the AcroYoga Montreal style at home in Montreal and then venturing further afield. Along the way registering the domain name acroyoga.com (2006), 10 years later in 2008 we finally know enough to run our first teacher training. Establishing AcroYoga Inc. (2013)

The acrobatic content engages the yoga and the dance in a new conversation, a conversation about inclusivity, the corporal and the human. It brings fresh attention to foundational techniques, combining amazing feats of physical dexterity with reciprocal human interplay. The final component in the equation of the practice is the human beings and what they bring to the AcroYoga table.

Finally, the success of the practice can be measured in its application to our lives, everyday situations, our families and the communities around us. Is the practice bringing the desired results? Is the practice helping us manifest our potential as human being?

In fact, the practice of AcroYoga Montreal style is a means to the end, the end being better human connection, better human relationships, more nuanced conversations between human beings, more varied voices being heard.

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