In-Person Loctician Classes: Learn Dreadlocks Side by Side With Ann-Marie Christell

By Ann-Marie Christell, Seienstyle

Some things only happen when we are in the same room

There is a moment that happens in almost every in-person class I teach. A student is working on a dreadlock, focused, a little tense. I reach over, adjust the angle of their hand by a few degrees, and say, there, feel that? Their shoulders drop. The hook moves differently. Something clicks, not in their head, but in their hands.

That moment cannot be put into a video. It is why I still love teaching in person after all these years.

My name is Ann-Marie Christell, and I have been a professional loctician for over 26 years. I have trained more than a hundred locticians in many countries. In this post, I want to tell you exactly what my in-person loctician classes are like, and why I teach them the way I do.

Why I teach one-on-one

When I started in 1996, I had no teacher at all. A friend and I tried to make dreadlocks with the help of whatever we could find in the library. For years I learned by trial and error, and I picked up habits that made my hands bleed and my back ache, habits that took me a long time to undo.

Later, when I went to courses myself, I often sat in groups where the teacher could only glance at my work for a minute or two. I learned things, but no one really saw what my hands were doing.

So when I began teaching, I chose to teach one-on-one. For two full days, it is just you and me. I can see everything: how you hold the hook, how you section, how much tension you use, how you stand, how you move around your client. I can correct small things in the moment, before they become habits. And I can shape everything around you, your level, your goals, and the kind of practice you dream of building.

What happens before we meet

Every in-person class begins with a conversation. Before anything is booked, we have a video call so we can get to know each other and see whether we are a good match. When a student and teacher truly click, the learning flows so much more easily.

Before our two days together, you also get access to The Professional Loctician Online Course, so you can learn the foundations of the Seienstyle process and practise on a mannequin head first. That way, you arrive ready, and we can use our time together for the things that only happen side by side.

You choose the services you most want to focus on. The options include dreadlocks on natural hair, dreadlocks with extensions, maintenance, mermaid dreadlocks, synthetic dreadlocks and more.

What our two days look like

We work side by side on live hair models. I show you, you try, I guide your hands, and we repeat until it begins to feel natural. As the hours go by, you take the lead more and more, and I step back to watch and support.

We also talk about everything around the technique, because this work is so much more than hair:

• Your body. The tools, chair, stool and posture that let you work long days without pain. When I was younger, I thought bleeding hands were part of the job. They are not.
• Your client. A full head of dreadlocks can take eight to twelve hours, and people open up. As a breathwork and meditation teacher, I share how to stay present, listen without fixing and stay grounded without carrying everything home.
• Your practice. How to set up your space, share your work, attract the clients you want and charge what your work is worth.

My students often tell me afterwards that I did not only teach them a technique. They say I taught them a new way of working, and sometimes a new way of living.

The Seienstyle process

Everything I teach rests on the Seienstyle process, the holistic method I built after years of working in a way that hurt me:

• It works on every hair texture, so you never have to say no to anyone
• It uses no products, no wax, no gel and no residue
• It is gentle on your hands and gentle on your client's scalp
• It helps dreadlocks begin to mature within two to three months, without the long awkward stage

Where the classes take place

You can come to me in Stockholm, where I have worked with clients for many years. Or I can travel to you. Since moving to Provence, I already travel regularly between France and Sweden, and I teach in major cities across Europe. I am also open to teaching in the USA and Australia.

If you are not sure whether I can come to you, just ask.

I do not leave you after two days

This is something I care about deeply. After our in-person class, you continue with video coaching calls, so you have support as you start working on your own. You keep lifetime access to The Professional Loctician Online Course, and you become part of the Seienstyle community of locticians around the world.

Students who complete the in-person training are also welcome to a yearly shadow day with me, where you can join me while I work and keep learning by watching. And I keep supporting my students after they are certified, for as long as they need it.

Who in-person classes are for

My in-person classes are for you if you:

• Learn best by doing, with a teacher right beside you
• Want personal correction in the moment, not just feedback afterwards
• Are new to hair and want to start with the right habits from day one
• Are an experienced hairstylist or loctician who wants to refine your technique or work without pain
• Want a relationship with your teacher that continues after the class

Frequently asked questions

Do I need experience? No. The class is one-on-one, so it is shaped around where you are. Some of my students had never worked with hair before.

Is it a group class? No. It is just the two of us for two full days.

Can I pay in instalments? Payment plans are possible for students in Sweden, Scandinavia and some European countries. Ask me what is possible where you live.

What if I can't travel? I can come to you in many places. Tell me where you are and we will see what is possible.

What if I would rather learn online? The Professional Loctician Online Course includes one-on-one video coaching calls with me, so you can learn fully online too.

Your next step

If you are still wondering whether becoming a loctician is right for you, begin with my free three-part online training.

Join the free training The Proven Path to Become a Loctician

If you feel ready to learn side by side, you can read all the details about the in-person training here.

The Professional Loctician In-Person Training

And if you would like to talk, email me at [email protected]. Tell me a little about yourself, where you are and what you dream of building, and we can set up a video call to see whether we are a good match.

With love,

Ann-Marie