Siegfried Gerstung Biography
Founder and owner of Gerstung International Sport Education Inc.

A native of Germany with teaching degrees in Physical Education from the University of Munich, Art Education from the Art and Crafts Institute of Munich and in Rhythmic Education from the Musickhochschule (Conservatory) of Stuttgart, came to this country in 1963 as a ski instructor.

One year later he started Gerstung International Sport Education Inc. and began developing a unique method of learning through movement. Movement Education was refined over the next 20 years with the assistance of 8 staff members from 6 European countries. He developed award winning programs, a methodology for preschool and elementary students and designed over 80 pieces of equipment and components that facilitate movement experiences, encourage creativity, develop strength and body awareness and allow children to make decisions. All products are created by Gerstung Gym-Thing Inc., his own manufacturing company established in 1971.

He taught at three Baltimore Universities and lectured his method at collage workshops, during professional inservice training, and at state and national conventions extensively for 8 years. He was the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Heath, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance for 7 years. Today, after 46 years, his Movement Education is being taught at numerous pre and elementary schools across the country. He still offers professional training to teachers reaching as far as Korea, Europe, Dominican Republic and Indonesia.

Gerstung resilient floors, in addition to his movement equipment are used across the world in colleges and fitness institutes, at National and World Championships for Sports Aerobics, at the Pan Am Games, by dance companies like the Kirov and Balshoi Companies in Russia, by the Japan Performing Arts Center and even a Presidential Inauguration.

In 1974 he produced his first publication “Try it My Way”, 10 teaching progression charts for tumbling. In 1989, he published his first book "The Preschool Teachers guide to Movement Education" that was used as a textbook by three universities and “More than Movement” in 1992. His monthly publication “Movement Today” was a favorite resource literature of Movement Educators in the nineties.

In 1995, his biggest dream, the creation of a National Training Center became reality. Today a 42,000 sq. ft. facility in Baltimore, Maryland offers 75 classes each week to students ranging from one year of age to adults. It is his goal to offer the Gerstung education method of "learning through movement" to all that are in the business of teaching the children of the world.