The Learning Process
The Alexander Technique is about movement, and for movement - its point of reference is the quality of ease that we observe in great performers and full of life kids, the world over. It is a method of neuromuscular re-education, that works directly with your critical thinking to teach you new ways of organizing movement in the field of gravity. This educational process will help you to recognize and overcome reactive, habitual limitations in movement.
Alexander and his Technique
Frederick Mathias Alexander (1869-1955) had a great fondness and talent for Shakespeare and started reciting in Melbourne at the end of the 20th century, having been enchanted by the performances of Sarah Bernhardt - all of which he claimed to have attended. His experience as an actor revealed to him a dissonance between the passion he had for performing and the pains he suffered after each time on stage, leaving him in a state of hopelessness and fear for the future of what had so far seemed a very promising career.
“My practical teaching experience of over thirty years has been based upon he impossibility of separating the so-called mental and physical elements in any of our dealings with the human organism"
- F.M. Alexander
What you will find in lessons
- Improving your quality of movement in specific actions of daily living (walking, climbing up stairs, speaking, getting up from the floor etc)
- Finding support within yourself to move with more control and safety
- Initiating movement with composure
- Identifying functional patterns that promote ease and efficiency of movement - all important components for maintaining your autonomy and agency in the world.
Resources
THE ASSOCIATIONS
Alexander Technique Canada (ATC)
American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSA)
AND A FEW FAVORITES
Websites
https://www.dimoninstitute.org
https://synidetics.com/
Blogs
A blog from Australian teacher
A post from travel and adventures blogger
Podcast
Lori Schiff interview
