Friday, July 7, 2017. The first day of the Rolf Movement Training hosted by the European Rolfing Association (ERA) arrived. There were 16 participants in total — a large group made up of one Belgian, one Swede, seven Germans, one Pole, one Russian, one Czech, two Swiss, one Dutch person, and one Japanese.
Among the participants this time are Bart Adins of Belgium and Gerald Kaufmann of Germany, who were together with me in Phase I–III of Rolfing’s Basic Training. Asa Ahman of Sweden and Rafal Wysocki of Poland, who were together in Phase I; and Janine Margelisch of Switzerland and Judith Wohlrabe of Germany, who were together in the Supervision WS. With six familiar faces like this, it is very reassuring. I hope to enjoy it together with the participants.
And in parallel, the Spectrum movement training, which is held before taking Rolfing’s Basic Training, was held at the same time in another room. Since Giovanni Felicioni was teaching it, I was able to meet him again.
The Rolf Movement Training is 30 days in total. Four ERA-certified Rolf Movement Instructors (Giovanni Felicioni, Pierpaola Volpones, Rita Geirola, and France Hatt-Arnold) lead it.
The Rolf Movement training finally finishes on July 8, 2018. By completing the 30-day course, certification as a Rolf Movement Practitioner can be received.
I was able to hear about how Rolf Movement came to be born during the workshop of Gael Rosewood, a direct student of Ida Rolf. For the background, please refer to “Knowing the History and Basic Principles of Rolf Movement“
The ERA-hosted Rolf Movement is divided, like the Basic Training, into three stages, Part I–III.
Part I — “Functional Embodiment of 10 Rolfing Sessions” (acquiring the functional aspect of Rolfing’s ten sessions), led by Pierpaola Volpones and Rita Geirola — was held in 2017.
It is held in three parts:
- July 7–9 (3 days)
- August 31 – September 3 (4 days)
- October 19–22 (4 days)
The ten-session Rolfing series will be understood more fully from the perspective of Movement. As a result, “movement” can be incorporated more consciously into Rolfing sessions, and I hope to be able to offer content useful to people who teach yoga and Pilates and to dancers.
Part II — “Strategy and Design of A Rolf Movement 3-Series” (how to design a three-session series of Rolf Movement), led by Rita Geirola and France Hatt-Arnold — was held in January–February 2018.
- January 24 – February 4 (January 27 and January 31 off; 10 days in total)
Separately from the ten-session Rolfing series, it becomes possible to put together a three-session series of Rolf Movement. It is a valuable opportunity to learn how to sharpen the sensation within the body.
Part III — “Introduction to Leading Rolfing Movement Groups” (how to use Rolf Movement in group lessons), led by France Hatt-Arnold and Rita Geirola — was held in May and July 2018 (in fact, due to circumstances, I attended in October–December 2019).
It is held in two parts:
- May 3–6 (4 days) (→ October 10–13, 2019)
- July 4–8 (5 days) (→ November 27 – December 1 of the same year)
Here, it is said, how to conduct a movement class in a group lesson can be learned.
Note that in this workshop, as credits for the Advanced Training, certification of three Movement units and three Elective units can be received.
In Europe, the influence of Hubert Godard — a Rolfer who is traditionally a dancer and teaches at a university — is strong (I wrote about a mentoring session with Hubert Godard in “Mentoring Session (4) — An Experience in Paris: Valuing the Foundations — Hubert Godard“). It is also a good opportunity to learn Hubert Godard’s idea of Tonic Function. How far will it deepen? I’d like to look forward to it.