The 16 week Online Coaches Certification Course is Now Available through Fully Certified Ballet for Figure Skaters Practitioners Angela Como and Laura Carolina Morelli
Based on the Vaganova Teaching Method, This college level intensive course is intended for Figure Skating Coaches and Dance Instructors who wish to gain a strong, practical knowledge of Classical Ballet training at its finest as it applies to the figure skater. These coach’s courses are true pedagogical and progressive courses of study based on the Vaganova Methodology of Ballet training, which will teach you how to effectively train your skaters both off and ON ICE to improve both technically and artistically, without injury.
Angela Como can be reached at: amcomo9047@gmail.com
Lara Carolina Morelli can be reached at: morellilcarolina@gmail.com
I am extremely excited to announce that my 16-week
Ballet for Figure Skaters Coaches Course
is once again available through two of my Master Students:
Angela Como and Laura Carolina Morelli!
These extraordinarily talented and intelligent women have proved themselves time and again to be superbly capable of teaching this extremely valuable and in-depth course.
It is a rare privilege to be able to entrust one’s life work into such capable hands.Please feel free to contact them for availability and a FREE video consultation.
Angela Como
Angela is a former senior level and collegiate competitor. After her competitive career she skated professionally with Holiday on Ice, American Ice Theatre and Ice-Semblé Chicago. She began full time coaching in 2018. Angela holds Bachelor’s degrees in Secondary Education and Dance Performance from Illinois State University and a Masters in Exercise Science from Northeastern Illinois University. She received her Ballet for Figure Skaters instructor certification in 2021, and went on to complete 3 additional certification courses with Annette Thomas in 2021 and 2024, culminating in receiving the “Master Practitioner of the Ballet for Figure Skaters” Certification which certifies her to teach the 16-week Coaches Course. In addition to coaching, she is a middle school Physical Education teacher in the suburbs of Chicago.
Laura Carolina Morelli
Laura is a former Junior Italian National and International Competitor who represented Italy in the Junior ladies category at various events such as the Mozart Cup in Salzburg (Austria), the Coupe du Printemps in Kockelscheuer (Luxembourg) and the Bavarian Open in Oberstdorf (Germany). After leaving competitions, Laura turned professional and toured Europe for 3 years, performing in various countries with the Company “Holiday on Ice” in the show Energia, created to celebrate the company’s 65th anniversary.
After her competitive and ice show career, Laura moved to Toronto, Canada where she became a Certified Skate Canada coach in 2012. Laura is also a "CanFitPro" certified Personal trainer specialized in active flexibility since 2016 and a “Ballet for figure skaters” certified instructor since 2021. Laura has since completed 3 other courses with Annette T. Thomas culminating in receiving the “Master Practitioner of the Ballet for Figure Skaters” Certification which certifies her to teach the 16-week Coaches Course.
Assessment and Grading
Competency is assessed through
- Timely completion of assignments
- Your video demonstrations (competency in teaching and cuing with precision and attention to detail)
- Accompanying lesson plans which include musical counts
- Written exams (fulfilling test averages)
- Proper Attendance (only 2 absences per the entire 16 weeks)
If all assignments and exams are completed with a passing grade, a student will receive a Ballet for Figure Skaters – Level 1 Coaches Certification, listing with American Ice Theatre as an authorized Preliminary Level instructor of classical ballet for figure skaters, and ongoing consultation for teaching the Preliminary Level.
There are three categories of certification for this course depending on your final grade:
- Certification of Mastery (with the instructor's recommendation and endorsement) 96-100%
- Certification of Successful Completion (passed the course and able to teach) 75-95%
- Certification of Participation (74 and below)
**Course Levels are based on Annette T. Thomas’ BFFS Program Levels and not the Vaganova Method Levels. Each course level must be successfully competed with a grade of 80% in order to be considered eligible to continue to the next level course. A “passing grade” does not automatically mean an endorsement by the teacher.**
Breakdown of Courses
Course 1 –
Preliminary Level:
Available Through Angela Como and Laura Carolina Morelli (please see above for contact intormation)
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Basic Pedagogy – from a somatic and science base platform this course provides the FOUNDATION for all teaching/coaching Methodology
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Basic Music Theory for Movement Trainers
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Basic Biomechanics and injury prevention for the Preliminary Level
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Basic Myofascial release and resistance band exercises
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All Beginning level floor exercises for alignment, strength, warm-up, and stretching
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Fundamental pedagogy in Beginning ballet barre, and centre exercises – Port de bras, and Epaulement.
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Basic “Skates-on” specialty class
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Basic on-ice Movement and musicality
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How to create your own lesson plans
What you can teach at this level – The essentials of the ballet program to children 5+ through adults both off and on-ice.
Ability to create lesson plans which will engage any age and group of skaters for at least a full year of study and practice.
Course 2 –
End of Beginning Level
6 weeks – $500
*only available to those
who have completed Course 1
with a grade of 75% or over*
This level is the culmination of the Preliminary Level and gives you a Certification of Completion to teach the FULL Beginning Level Ballet for Figure Skaters Program, which includes:
-
Pedagogy for FULL Beginning Level Ballet Barre and Centre exercises – Port de bras, and Epaulement. NOTE: there are over 70 steps and poses to be learned just in the beginning level – ALL of which are beneficial to figure skaters. To learn to teach them all correctly (not just as choreography) and how to apply them all to the needs of the figure skater is “no mean feat”.
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Extended floor-barre and stretching exercise
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Full Beginning Level “Skates-on” specialty class
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Full Beginning Level off and on-ice class
What you can teach at this level – The FULL ballet program to children ages c.9 through adults both off and on-ice.
Ability to create lesson plans which will engage anyone in this age bracket and/or group of skaters for several ensuing years of study and practice.
Course 3 –
Intermediate/ Advanced Level
*only available by invitation
of the instructor*
Certification of Completion to teach the Intermediate Level of the Ballet for Figure Skaters Program. This program is considered for advanced and elite skaters and will equip you to teach the program at any and all levels of accomplishment.
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Intermediate/advanced music appreciation and theory for movement trainers
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Pedagogical studies for selected portions of the Intermediate syllabus as applies to figure skaters
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Advanced Floor –Barre, alignment, and stretching techniques
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Intermediate/Advanced Level on-ice classes
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Intermediate/Advanced Lesson planning and choreographic considerations