Teacher Training

YogaSlackers Teacher Training

Dec 1 - 18, 2024

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Looking to become a certified YogaSlackers teacher or advance your current acroyoga or slackline practice?

Our Teacher Training program offers the perfect opportunity to develop the skills and techniques needed to teach a variety of classes, workshops and retreats. You’ll also learn about yoga, handstands, conditioning, digital marketing, and other skills that will help you develop into a well-rounded and marketable teacher.

Don’t miss this chance to transform your practice and take your teaching to the next level with the YogaSlackers!

About This training

Over the course of 18 days, we will provide you with the foundation and tools to become a skilled and effective movement teacher. This year in particular, we are focusing on Slackro: Acro Inspired in Slacklining. This means that our slackline pre-reqs are a bit more relaxed than in previous years. Our training will still cover slacklining as it is an essential tool in the YogaSlackers teaching methodology. However, the main teaching focus and pre-reqs are directed to acro.

With over 15 years of experience teaching and having taught over 30,000 people how to slack & acro, we know that our comprehensive training program will set you in the right direction to become an excellent practitioner and an effective teacher.

The primary goal of our training program is to teach you how to create lesson plans, develop progressions, find your teaching voice, and improve your coaching skills. While there will be time dedicated to improving your personal practice, our focus is on ensuring that you leave the training ready to teach others and yourself. Join us and start your journey towards becoming a great movement teacher!

Goals of the Training

  • Safety

    Learn and practice safe training, teaching and coaching methods.

  • Practice

    Understand how to use foundations as the key to train higher level acrobatics.

    Understand the process of breaking down skills and movements to their fundamental parts.

  • Teaching

    Practice different teaching and coaching styles.

    Develop writing, verbal and embodiment teaching exercises.

    Improve demos (verbal and physical ability).

    Create progressive teaching and training plans (classes, workshops, series).

    Improve confidence in speaking to a crowd and facilitate movement based classes.

    Foster time management skills for classes and effective training.

Teaching Team

Cost

Registration

$3500 per person (includes a $500 non-refundable deposit & $50 application fee)
$3000 per person for committed acro partnerships (application videos must be submitted with that partner)

Partial Scholarships

As part of our commitment to supporting educators and increase inclusion, we are providing a $500 discount to all certified teachers, BIPOC students and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Teacher scholarships are applicable to school teachers as well as movement teachers who have completed training programs of more than 100 hours in any movement discipline such as acroyoga, slackline, yoga, dance, climbing instructors, martial arts or any other movement or adventure arts.

At YogaSlackers, we are dedicated to fostering inclusivity and embracing diversity. We actively promote equal access to our transformative teacher training by offering scholarships based on financial need, with a specific focus on empowering underrepresented groups such as BIPOC and the LGBTQ+ community. Moreover, we extend a warm invitation to locals, particularly encouraging Thai nationals to connect with us, as we strive to create a welcoming space where everyone can thrive.

What is Included

  • Housing & Ground Transportation

    18 Day / 17 Night Accommodations in a shared double occupancy room in the beautiful Kaomai Lanna Resort in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Group ground transportation from/to Chiang Mai's Old City and/or CNX airport is included.

  • Meals

    3x Thai Vegetarian meals per day
    2x snack
    There is a restaurant and a coffee shop in the hotel. You will be able order additional food (at your own expense) throughout the day.

  • Training and Teaching Practice

    1 hr Yoga
    1.5 hr Handstand & Conditioning
    1.5 hrs Slackline Yoga
    +5 hrs AcroYoga
    Plus Stretching!

  • Additional Activities

    1x Thai Massage
    1x Excursion
    1x Evening Dinner in Town

  • Other Goodies

    eLine Slackline Kit, student and teacher training manual, in addition to several surprises.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

StartEndActivity
6:307:00Coffee & Tea
7:008:00Yoga
8:009:00Breakfast
9:0010:30Slack
11:0012:30Handstands & Conditioning
12:301:30Lunch
1:3015:30Extended Break
15:3016:00Snack
16:0018:00Acro
18:0018:30Stretching

Application Process

The first step will be to fill our application and send your deposit. The deadline is June 1st.  The application deadline is intentionally set far in advance to provide ample time to bridge any practice gaps and ensure a smooth transition into the program (more information on the pre-req section).

Along with a full application form you will have to send links to your statement of interest as well as a few pictures and videos. We suggest you start gathering those, add them to a google folder.

If you are accepted into the training, you will need to secure your spot with a $500 non-refundable deposit after which we will provide you with additional information on how to get to the training location, a training program to follow, an eLine Slackline and a reading list. 

We have a handful of scholarships to people in underrepresented communities and with financial need. More information on the FAQs below. 

Statement of Interest

In 500 words or less, please tell us why you want to be a YogaSlackers Teacher, and what you would like to do after the training in terms of teaching, practice, creating community, etc. Also include what you hope to gain from the training, other than the “blessing” to teach using the YogaSlackers name.

List of Videos

Provide YouTube Links to three different videos:

  • Slackline Pre-Reqs
  • Acro Pre-Reqs
  • Solo Pre-Reqs

List of Images

  • Headshot
  • Favorite Slackline Yoga pose
  • Favorite Acro or Slackro pose (base or fly)

Pre-ReQuisites

We’re seeking for individuals who meet either the acro or slackline prerequisites. Although those that meet all pre-reqs will benefit even more from the program.

We are seeking participants that are either:

  • Experienced Slackliner

    Our training program welcomes slackliners with little acro experience. Over our 15 years of teaching, we've mastered guiding slackliners in integrating their skills into acrobatics. With your existing skills, we're confident in helping you become a proficient acro and slackro practitioner. After all, we developed our teaching and practiced based on the skills we learned while slacklining. This training is for you. So do not shy away if you are new to acro. We've got you.

  • Skilled Acrobats

    You can participate in this training program even if you are new to slacklining. With you acroyoga skills and the time we will spend together practicing yoga, handstands and slackline - in addition to acro! - you will learn how to improve and train for your acroyoga both with partner and on your own. Our methods will help you become an even more skilled practitioner and teacher.

We set the application deadline early to allow ample time for skill enhancement. A key reason we can be flexible with our prerequisites is that our training application comes with a comprehensive online training program. Applicants not meeting all prerequisites will receive ‘conditional acceptance’ and access to this online training.

Your passion, interest, and dedication are what will make a real difference. Our training begins with a week focused on foundational skills, specifically tailored to address any gaps and build the expertise necessary for teaching.

View the prerequisites as milestones for personal growth. They’re designed to motivate and guide you, setting realistic goals for skill development. These standards aim to inspire improvement in your practice, rather than act as deterrents.

Slackline Yoga

Foundations & Advanced Foundations

Check this video to review the slackline yoga fundamentals. We would like to do each for 15 to 30 seconds unless stated. If you would like to study an updated version – including the advanced foundations – check out our Art of Slacklining, available on Video On Demand.

Slackline Yoga Foundations

partner Acrobatics

Slackro, AcroYoga & Acrobatics

Inversions

If you need help with your inversion practice, join the 12 days of handstand Facebook Group. We send a free training program for the 1st to the 12th of each month. Or join our 12 Days of Handstands Newsletter to get the training sent straight into your inbox.

Straight Inversions

  • 30 sec – 1 min Headstand or
  • 10 sec Forearm balance or
  • 30 sec – 1 min Handstand on the Wall or
  • 15 sec Freestanding Unspotted Handstand (not walking!)

Safety, Consent & Inclusion

  • We highly recommend participating in the Aiming For Allyship Course or equivalent
  • CPR/First Aid or Wilderness First Response
  • Experience with Collaborative Communication, Non-Violent Communication, Active Listening or Compassionate Communication
  • Some teaching experience

Frequently Asked Questions

At the moment we can confirm that Sam Salwei, and Raquel Hernández will be lead teachers for this event. Liz Thomas and Ajlaan Raza Sajani will also be part of the Teaching Team. We will update this list as we confirm more teachers.

We are not sure yet. We are searching for locations to host our teacher training in the USA or Europe next. If you know of a suitable location, please let us know!

The goal of this teacher training program is to master the YogaSlackers’ teaching method, emphasizing safe and thoughtful progressions, a strong focus on fundamentals, clear and concise instructions, and achieving success through well-planned practices and repetitions.

The first week of the training will concentrate on enhancing your personal practice and comprehending the underlying foundational principles. Once you have integrated these foundations, the objective is to learn how to effectively teach them to others. The training aims to create an inquisitive environment that encourages the use of foundational concepts to achieve any goal, from beginner to advanced.

In addition, the program emphasizes cultivating the qualities of safety, approachability, inclusion and compassion in order to create a supportive, welcoming and nurturing learning environment. These qualities are essential for building strong connections with students, inspiring trust, and facilitating their growth and progress on their journey.

Our teacher training programs offers one partial scholarship for every 10 registered students. These are meant to help students who may not have the financial means to attend the training. The application form for the training has a section that addresses the need for financial assistance. After reviewing all applications based on factors such as skill level, teaching interest, and overall strength of the application, we will consider providing financial aid to those who have been accepted into the program and are in need of financial aid.

It’s important to note that to increase your chances of receiving financial aid, you should have a strong practice, a strong desire to teach, and are able to demonstrate that you wouldn’t be able to participate in the training without it.

Additionally, before granting financial assistance, we would need to demonstrate that you have explored alternative funding options. You may consider starting a pre-sale, Kickstarter, or GoFundMe campaign, selling tickets to your future workshops to generate funds. This can help you gather support from your community and generate interest in your future workshops. You can use social media platforms to promote your campaign and encourage your friends and followers to support you. By leveraging your network, you can generate the funds you need to attend the training program and achieve your teaching goals.

We are happy to share your events with our community to help increase your reach.

If you don’t have all the pre-requisites, don’t worry! We offer a “conditional acceptance” for applicants who apply with enough time. You will receive a specialized training program to follow, which has proven successful in helping previous students gain the necessary experience and practice before attending the training. Our application deadline is intentionally set far in advance, allowing ample time for you to bridge any practice gaps and ensure a smooth transition into the program.

We understand that underrepresented groups may face challenges in accessing in-person training and acquiring the necessary gear. That’s why we enthusiastically welcome individuals from underrepresented communities who may not meet all the prerequisites. We provide an online training program prior to the main event, along with additional in-person support during the training, ensuring that you have the resources and guidance needed to prepare and excel on your journey towards becoming a certified YogaSlackers teacher.

Application fees and deposits are non-transferable and non-refundable. 

Your initial payment of $250 covers your application fee ($50) and a $200 deposit. If after reviewing your application we understand that your skills do not meet our pre-req list, we will refund you $200.

If you decide not to participate in the teacher training you will loose both the application fee and the deposit.

Maybe! We have a very limited amount allocated as work trade opportunities. These must happen before the training, not during the training. Send us a message with the skill that you would like to trade in exchange for partial training payment.

You will be staying in a double shared room. All rooms are equipped with a private bathroom, mini-fridge and kettle.

We can reserve a private room for you at an additional cost.

The training includes breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet in a vegetarian Thai cuisine diet. You will be able to purchase additional food from the hotel’s restaurant and coffee shop.

Our teacher trainings are typically capped at 30 to 36 students.

The closest international airport is Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX).

Alternatively you can fly into any Bangkok international airport (BKK or DMK) and catch a local non-stop flight, bus or train to Chiang Mai.

There are also non-stop flights between Phuket (HKT) and Chiang Mai.

50% of the cost is required to separate your spot.

Final payments are due 2 months before the training starts.

We suggest you scroll throughout the entire YogaSlackers.com/Explore pages and join our mailing list.

If you have more questions, feel free to email us at [email protected].

You may cancel your reservation and receive a refund according to the following schedule:

  • Please note that there is a non-refundable $200 deposit and a $50 non-refundable fee.
  • After making your full payment, if you cancel before or on Oct 1st, you will receive a 50% refund of the total cost.
  • If you cancel after Oct 1st or do not show up for your reservation, you will not be eligible for any refund. 

Refunds will be processed within 30 days of cancellation.

We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking to protect yourself against unexpected cancellations or emergencies. Most travel insurance policies offer coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, and delay, as well as medical expenses and other travel-related issues. Be sure to review the policy details and restrictions carefully to ensure that you are fully covered.