Classes

The training system developed by Margaret Morris covers eleven levels, called Colours, which contain a carefully built up series of exercises developing at the higher levels into short dance pieces.

The eleven Colour grades are called:
BASIC (Royal Blue); WHITE; YELLOW; ORANGE; RED; LIGHT PINK; DARK PINK; CRIMSON; MAUVE; BLUE; GREEN

In addition, Jim Hastie created a special advanced Colour for performance only, called MAGENTA.

Each section of the syllabus in each Colour is devoted to a particular aspect of training; these are called:
Free Movement, Walking & Posture, Breathing, Opposition, Balance, Mobility, Continuity
In each section there are a number of exercises progressing in difficulty throughout the Colours. All exercises have a set piece of music, though the teacher is encouraged to use alternative music as and when required; and a matching breathing pattern. At all levels the development of creative expression is encouraged in a variety of ways, including improvisation and choreography. An assessment can be taken to progress to the next Colour.

Health Play is for the very young child, and as the name suggests offers a playful introduction to movement, music and creative expression. Through chosen pieces of music combined with movement sequences, the child’s early artistic development is encouraged, together with the health aspect of mobility and control.

There are five Children’s Grades for children of school age, up to approximately 15 years. 

They are also characterised by colours: 

Grade I – White, Grade II – Rose, Grade III – Turquoise, Grade IV – Primrose, Grade V – Lilac. 

The exercises encourage movement control, spatial awareness, imagination and expression, as well as physical development of the child’s range of movement, and form a foundation for the adult work. They are also accompanied by a set piece of music, chosen by Margaret Morris.  There is an optional sixth grade called Elementary (Royal Blue), which aims to build a bridge into the adult colour grades. Children are assessed to progress on to the next Grade.

Dance Technique was developed later, as a separate syllabus alongside the colour work for adults. Margaret Morris recognised that her professional dancers needed further advanced technique to be able to obtain work in the theatre. The enhanced demands of the dance technique exercises, of which four Grades are still taught today, form together with the adult colours a foundation for choreography of all kinds.

Margaret Morris’s early work in dance training soon convinced her of the beneficial aspects to health of exercise and movement. Encouraged by positive resonance from doctors in London in 1925, and in Paris a year later, she began to develop a system of exercises based on medical principles to be used for work with post-hospital patients, the disabled, the elderly and those in nursing homes. She qualified as a physiotherapist in 1930 (as a member of the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics).  Movement Therapy is today more than ever relevant for our ever-aging society and for all kinds of post-operative and medical conditions, and is taught currently in homes and centres for the elderly, for chair-based and disabled persons and for patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s and dementia.

The complete teacher training programme consists of four levels: the Basic Teaching Certificate and the White, Yellow and Orange Teaching Diplomas. 

In addition there are further training courses for Health Play, the Children’s Grades and MMM Movement Therapy, as well as assessments for MMM qualified teachers to teach the Dance Technique grades. 

The first requirement to take a teacher training course is to be a member of MMM, and to have passed the Basic and White Colour examinations for performance. Teacher Training courses are held at the MMM International Summer School each year and from time to time at other courses. In some countries it is possible to train at locally held courses. 

• Performance of the Colour’s set exercises, demonstrating a thorough knowledge of the work 
• Teaching Practice, individual assessments teaching exercises to a group of students; and secondly teaching exercises in an examination setting 
• Applied Anatomy and Physiology, at each level, with an oral or a written examination 
• Principles of MMM, covering pedagogic and theoretical subjects, including Class Planning 
• Theory and Practice of Teaching, in which the MMM method of teaching exercises is studied 
• A written paper on a dance history or MMM related topic 
• Compilation of a personal Portfolio, containing information on the candidate’s life and work in dance and teaching as well as demonstrating his/her artistic and creative abilities 

Preliminary training is carried out with the candidate’s regular class teacher prior to taking an intensive course. Information on courses can be found under classes and news and events. 

More detailed information is available from the MMM office or from a class teacher. 

A training course and assessment in Health Play entitles the MMM member to teach this level of work to very young children. The requirements are similar to those for the Basic Teaching Certificate. The syllabus includes development of story themes for classes, Child Development and Teaching Theory, Applied Anatomy and Physiology, as well as the Health Play exercises and sequences. Teachers of Health Play are not qualified to teach MMM to any other age group. 

Teachers who hold the Basic Teaching Certificate may be assessed to teach the MMM Children’s Grades, usually in two parts: Grades 1 – 3, and Grades 4, 5 and Elementary. Child Development and Theory is also an integral part of the course. 

MMM qualified teachers are assessed to teach each Grade, an assessment consisting of teaching exercises in a class setting. The candidate should demonstrate during the course a thorough knowledge of the Dance Technique syllabus. 

A separate Diploma course is required to qualify to teach this aspect of MMM. Candidates should have passed at least Orange Colour and the Yellow Teaching Diploma, though exceptions may be made for an applicant holding the White Teaching Diploma. The course involves a syllabus of special Movement Therapy exercises as well as adaptations of standard MMM exercises, Applied Anatomy, study of medical conditions and the indications and contra-indications of movement. As well as a practical teaching assessment, three written papers are taken.

More detailed information is available from the MMM office or from a class teacher. 

An application form to be sent to the MMM office prior to starting teacher training can be found on our Membership page.

For MMM Members, specific details of the requirements and content of each Teacher Training course can be obtained from the Administrator.