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What should be the criteria for
an aqua aerobic class, high intensity,
versus an aqua exercise class?
How would you structure each class
in terms of music and exercises?

I could take pages to answer this question, so I'm going for the brief alternative! I also have to do my own interpretation of the difference between an aqua aerobic class, and an aqua exercise class. I assume the questioner means that the aqua aerobic class has a segment dedicated to cardiovascular training, and an aqua exercise class does not.

Structure for an aqua aerobic class:

• thorough warm-up for the overload to come
• must have rhythmic, continuous use of the large muscle groups for cardiovascular training
• must have duration and intensity sufficient to elicit a training effect
• must have accurate method of checking heart rates to see if participants are aerobic
• must use movement vocabulary that can provide an aerobic stimulus
• must know how to apply additional intensity variables for greater challenges
• if the class is high intensity, probably need to be able to offer interval training
• music needs a BPM that will help with the aerobic stimulus
• music style should motivate for aerobic activity - make you want to run, etc

Structure for an aqua exercise class:

• thorough warm-up for the overload to come
• if water temperature is 82-86 range, you still need to do rhythmic, large muscle activity to keep warm
• intensity stays low, but enough to stay warm
• the focus is more likely to be range of motion and strengthening
• to use the resistance for strength gains, you would still use many of the gross motor skills, with different levels of power.
• targeted muscle strengthening would be popular, but must be careful not to get cold
• music doesn't need to be so 'pushy'. Probably slower BPM, or could just use background accompaniment, without actually moving to the beat.

In my experience I have found many aqua aerobic classes that do not achieve an aerobic training effect. Everyone is doing the moves that should have aerobic potential, but clients are not actually exercising hard enough, and no method is provided for checking if the client is aerobic.

In an aqua exercise class, the mindset seems to be move slower, and focus on individual muscles. In water, this often doesn't work because clients are getting cold. In a resistive medium you can move faster and still strengthen muscles, so instructors need to keep using the gross motor skills even when the class design does not include aerobics. You can still use cross-country ski to strengthen the legs, hips, and back, without being in target zone, but being energetic enough to keep warm!