Pura Vida Studio Teacher Training FAQ
Who qualifies for our teacher trainings?
If you are an aerial student that loves to continue to further your education or if you are wanting to teach aerial silks then this program is for just for you! Our Pura Vida teacher training program prerequisites require a minimum of 2 years of aerial training on the apparatus you plan to enhance your training on and must be at minimum of 15 years of age. Our program meets all of the requirement standards recognized by American Circus Educators.
What does my PVS certificate do for me?
If you are looking to teach at any studio in the future then this program and certificate is proof that you went through a certified program to expand your knowledge in how to safely lead an aerial class. Teaching aerials is a lot more inclusive than in most forms of fitness and have higher risks in involved. If you pass our program you will have a certificate for proof for insurance, studios, and employers that you understand how to safely and effectively lead an aerial class that meet the industry standards recognized by American Circus Educators.
What makes the PVS teacher training program different?
Our teacher training program focuses on preparing you to teach aerial fundamentals but we also focus on a lot deeper content that will translate over to leading ANY type of aerial class. We will have Alicia Calderwood lead a majority of the program covering from ow to safely lead an aerial silks class to business fundamentals. Our program will also have specialists come in to further your education that can applies to all apparatuses.
Dr. Carlie Huberman of Elite Arts PT will teach an ADDITIONAL 4 hours of aerial anatomy and injury prevention to have you feeling like you understand the basics of keeping your clients safe in your classes and private lessons. Dr. Carlie Huberman will also lead the in person First Aid/CPR training program through American Heart Association.
Todd Spiering Owner and Director of Circus Gear teach aerial rigging and safety basics. We will cover 4 hours of rigging content on what to look for in aerial studios you teach within. How to properly inspect your rigging equipment and how to properly rig a sling and silks.
Live Training Program 40 hours of content:
How to properly warm up your clients with injury prevention & functional movement techniques with Dr. Carlie Huberman of Elite Arts PT
How to handle in class injuries and concussions with Dr. Carlie Huberman of Elite Arts PT
Aerial anatomy fundamentals with Dr. Carlie Huberman of Elite Arts PT
How to structure lesson plans
How to teach for classes & privates for all learning styles
How to teach proper alignment, engagement, and progressions
How to properly use safe hands in spotting and how to execute verbal cues
Aerial rigging with Todd Spiering Owner and Director of Circus Gear
Insurance & business fundamentals
What materials are included in the PVS teacher training program?
Pura Vida Studio teacher training manual/workbook
Applied Anatomy of Aerial Arts by Emily Scherb, DPT
All additional lesson plan & observation hours sheets & folder
Certificate of level teacher training program completion
Optional in person CPR/First Aid that includes: materials, training, and certificate through Elite Arts PT
PVS Teacher Trainee requirements
•Trainnes MUST attend all 36 in person hours of lecture
•Trainees must observe 4 hours MUST complete at least 4 hours of observing a supervised classes.
•Trainees must have passing scores on the final written assessment that includes anatomy, rigging, and training content.
•Trainees must pass skills & teaching assessment taken during the course. If you do not pass you will be given 1 year to set up private lessons with Alicia Calderwood ($100 an hour) to complete program.
•CPR/First Aid certification must be completed in person or online upon completion of the program. Trainee MUST have First Aid/CPR certificate upon completion weekend of PVS teacher training program. If trainee does NOT obtain CPR/First Aid certificate then trainee will NOT receive Pura Vida certificate and the program will be considered “Incomplete and ineligible”.
CPR & Basic First Aid Certification
CPR and Basic First Aid certification is required upon completion of your teacher training in order to receive your Level 1 Silks Teacher Training Certification. Most insurers and employers require this for all aerial arts instructors. You must obtain and email certificate of completion to Alicia Calderwood by Oct 29th.
Materials included in CPR/First Aid Training with us includes: Workbook/handbook, a training cpr mask for adult and infant, gloves, gauze / bandage supplies, disposable face covers and lung bags.
How much does PVS teacher training program cost?
A single payment of $1000 USD or 3 payments of $334 USD is required to reserve your spot for those that are obtaining their training certificate WITHOUT the CPR/First Aid certificate. There is an additional fee through Elite Arts PT to obtain CPR/First Aid certificate before the last weekend of our training. The tuition of the Pura Vida Studio teacher training program MUST be paid in full before the first date of the training.
Payments and no-refund policy:
Payment for the Teacher Training Program must be paid in full BEFORE the first weekend of TT. We will send separate invoice based on your application. Payment for the teacher training program is NON-REFUNDABLE or TRANSFERABLE. Pura Vida Studio is NOT responsible for any accommodations, food, flights, or lodging that need to be made to participate in this teacher training program. Agreeing to our contract means that you understand all the terms and conditions within it.
What do I need to do to register and how?
•Must submit written application.
•Must fill out our contract. We will email you the contract.
•Must email video submission of experience if never have trained at PVS before to: info@puravidastudionc.com
•Once applications are submitted, Alicia Calderwood will review submissions and get back to you on if you are eligible to enroll in our program. Once approved we will send you an invoice based on your selection of payment through your application.
Who are my instructors in the Pura Vida Studio Teacher Training Program?
Master trainer: Alicia Calderwood of Pura Vida Studio
Alicia is the founder and owner of Pura Vida Studio. She has always had a passion for movement, performing, and mental health. She grew up performing in her high school’s color guard for marching band, winterguard, and loved being on a stage in theater productions. She started a New Years resolution in 2013 to begin a mentally and physically healthier lifestyle. She started practicing yoga and aerial arts and fell in love very quickly. Alicia was always an entrepreneur at heart. She shifted her focus in her education to attend teacher trainings to expand her knowledge her both aerial and yoga.
Alicia has completed her RYT 200 through InnerLight Yoga School and is currently on track to complete her RYT 500 that includes mental health teacher certification. She has received her aerial certifications through Jill Franklin of Aerial Physique. Alicia has also trained under Patty Geiger for aerial, yoga, and business mentorship. Alicia is a certified yoga and aerial instructor that has been teaching and performing all over the NC. Her teaching includes: aerial sling, silks, lyra, yoga, flexibility, and hand balancing to all ages and experience levels. She has trained all over the states to obtain her certifications. With Alicia’s years of experience she is very knowledgeable about alignment, injury prevention, functional movement, and creative choreography.
In 2019 Alicia traveled to Costa Rica. While there she was reevaluated her purpose of teaching. She felt she didn’t fit in at any of the studios with her style of teaching and her home studio had abruptly closed down. She decided while on that trip that it was time to open her own studio and she loved the way of live in Costa Rica. She then opened Pura Vida Studio in January 2019.
Along with wearing all the hats of a small business owner, Alicia has also produced and choreographed many shows in her 14 years of movement. She is also one of the co-founders and directors of Carolina Circus Festival. Alicia has won many awards in the last 3 years of being open as a business owner. She has been recognized as Cary Magazine’s 2020 and 2021 Best Summer Camp, Best New Business, and Best yoga Studio. In 2021 Alicia won Cary Magazine’s Movers and Shakers award for being a influential entrepreneur under 45.
DPT Carlie Huberman of Elite Arts PT: Aerial Anatomy, Injury Prevention, First Aid/CPR Specialist
Carlie has been performing on trapeze for 20 years and teaching for the last 11. Carlie holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and has her own practice called Elite Arts Physical therapy. She specializes in performing artists such as: aerialists, dancers, gymnasts, and yogis. While in graduate school Carlie received the Outstanding Research Award for an original research project looking at the flexibility and strength of circus acrobats’ shoulders and how they differ from the general population. Carlie did this by traveling around the country to 13 different cities in 7 states to measure, 193 professional and amateur circus artists’ shoulders. This manuscript, “Shoulder Range of Motion and Strength Characteristics in Circus Acrobats”, has now been published in the journal Medical Problems of Performing Artist and is the first set of standardized measurements for the shoulders of circus acrobats. Carlie is also certified to be able to train and certify people in First Aid and CPR. Carlie is also the other co-founder of Carolina Circus Festival and helps to create opportunities with Alicia Calderwood for circus artist to be able to perform around the triangle.
Todd Spiering founder and owner of Circus Gear: Rigging Specialist
He has been building custom circus gear and providing aerial rigging services since 2013. Inspired by his local circus community--including his daughter, Nina, who started training on aerial silks at the age of 8--he saw an opportunity to create innovative aerial equipment that was strong, durable, easy to transport, and affordably priced. Todd is known for dreaming up one-of-a-kind aerial pieces that are compatible with his modular aerial rig. This allows users to reconfigured parts they already own to create a different kind of apparatus! Todd has over 20 years of professional experience in commercial and residential construction, specializing in high-end stair systems with elaborate curved designs using both metal and wood. This has allowed him to gain expert knowledge of working with and engineering these materials. Over the years, he has gained many different skills which he now applies to building innovative aerial gear for performers, instructors and event producers all over the U.S.