Registered Somatic Dance Educator Application

Thank you for applying to become a Professional Member of ISMETA! We are a global collaborative of individuals and organizations advancing the profession of Somatic Movement Education and Therapy. As a professional association, we support high standards of practice and maintain a registry of qualified practitioners. 

All applicants must demonstrate that they abide by the values and curricula that are articulated in ISMETA’s Scope and Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics found in the Registered Somatic Dance Educator Requirements.

This application can be used for the 250-hour credential of Registered Somatic Dance Educator (RSDE).

To complete this application, you'll need:

• Copies of certificates from training programs you have completed.

  • If you trained long ago and no longer have a certificate, you may provide a statement of completion from the training program.

• Two letters of recommendation: a letter of recommendation from a mentor or colleague and a letter of recommendation from a client/student who has experienced your Somatic Movement work to be submitted by the person who wrote it. These are not required for current ASMPs, RSME/Ts, or MSME/Ts.

• A Personal Statement. This is part of the application that asks, “Why are you interested in joining ISMETA?” 

• To arrange payment of the $75 application fee with info@ismeta.org. If you are a current member, please pay the $20 application fee by logging into the Member Portal and completing the form under the orange drop-down menu labeled "RSDE APPLICATION FORM".

Your application will be reviewed by our Professional Standards Committee. Please note that this review process typically takes between two to three months. If the committee requires any additional information or documentation from you during this time, we will contact you directly.

Letters of Recomendation 

We require two letters of recommendation from new applicants. These letters can be from teachers, mentors and/or colleagues. The person who writes the letter must be the one to submit it. As the applicant, please follow these steps to collect and submit your letters of recommendation:

1. Click “Save and Continue Later” at the bottom of the form.
2. Enter your email to receive a unique resume link.
3. Copy and share that link with your letter writers — they’ll use it to upload their recommendation letters directly into your application.
4. When you’re ready, use the same link to return and finish your application before submitting.

Be sure to follow up with both recommenders to ensure their letters are submitted.

Letters of Recomendation 

We require two letters of recommendation from new applicants. These letters can be from teachers, mentors and/or colleagues. The person who writes the letter must be the one to submit it. As the applicant, please follow these steps to collect and submit your letters of recommendation:

1. Click “Save and Continue Later” at the bottom of the form.
2. Enter your email to receive a unique resume link.
3. Copy and share that link with your letter writers — they’ll use it to upload their recommendation letters directly into your application.
4. When you’re ready, use the same link to return and finish your application before submitting.

Be sure to follow up with both recommenders to ensure their letters are submitted.

Please review ISMETA’s Registered Somatic Dance Educator Requirements: Here

Please list and upload evidence of your educational experience in the categories below.

A. Education with Evidence of Dance Pedagogy Coursework

B. Somatic Movement Training 

i) 250 contact hour Somatic Movement Certificate from an ISMETA Approved Training Program or other comparable program OR

ii) Transcript showing 250 contact hours of Somatic Movement coursework that meets the following criteria (1 semester credit = 15 contact hours; 1 quarter credit = 10 contact hours.

Note: ISMETA Registered Professional Members (ASMPs, RSME/Ts, MSME/Ts) do not need to complete this section. Instead state your ASMP, RSME/T, or MSME/T status below.

Please provide information about all the Somatic Movement training(s) you've completed. There is no required number of trainings, only the required total training hours for the RSDE credential (250+hours). Please note: The field to enter the total number of training hours you've completed appears at the bottom of this page.

If you trained long ago and no longer have a certificate, you may provide a statement of completion from the training program.

All material submitted should demonstrate proficiency and adherence to the RSDE Requirements.

Please review:

RSDE Requirements

Please provide information about the Professional Somatic Movement Training(s) you have completed below. Please complete all fields for each Module of training you've completed: 

All applicants must demonstrate that they abide by the values and curricula that are articulated in ISMETA’s Scope and Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics found in the Registered Somatic Dance Educator Requirements.

Include here a detailed description of how your coursework specifically prepared you to meet the following core capacities for Somatic Dance Education. Please be concise using under 300 words for each prompt.

ISMETA’s membership requires a high standard of professional practice by all RSDEs.

All applicants must demonstrate that they abide by the values and curricula that are articulated in ISMETA’s Scope and Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics found in the Registered Somatic Dance Educator Requirements.

Please review these policies and standards and attest to your intended compliance with these standards and Logo Usage Agreement, by checking the boxes below.

RSDE Requirements:  Review Document        

  Logo Usage Agreement:

We encourage Professional Members to use their credentials after their names wherever possible: when speaking, in print, and/or digitally on websites. The ISMETA Logo can be used in print or in digital applications. We ask that when using the logos, you hyperlink to the ISMETA homepage www.ISMETA.org. Please note these Logos are dated and will need to be updated yearly on your materials.

Along with the Logo, we ask that you include the following language wherever possible:

"As a Professional Member of the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association, I meet the high Standards of Practice and uphold the Code of Ethics. For more information visit www.ISMETA.org"               

Each individual applying for ISMETA Professional Membership agrees to pay a $75 application fee.If you are a current member, please pay the $20 application fee by logging into the Member Portal and completing the form under the orange drop-down menu labeled "RSDE APPLICATION FORM". Please note the review process only begins once payment and all supporting documents are received and may take up to two months to complete.

If you are accepted, your Professional Member fee will be collected at that time. If you are not accepted, you may still become a Friend of ISMETA. Renewal notices are sent by email one month before your membership is due to expire. Professional Member fees are due once a year. Please make sure to complete your renewal before your membership lapses.

Thank you for completing the ISMETA Registered Somatic Dance Educator Application. Please take a moment to follow up with your recommenders to ensure they have submitted your letters of recommendation. Once your application is complete, including both letters, we will begin the review process. Our goal is to complete the review within two months. As part of the review, we may request the following:

• a Zoom or phone call to clarify any questions the committee may have about your application

• video or written samples of your work