Dance and the Alexander Technique

Dance and the Alexander Technique

Author: Rebecca Nettl-Fiol

Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 0252077938

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Rebecca Nettl-Fiol and Luc Vanier utilize their ten years of research on developmental movement and dance training to explore the relationship between a specific movement technique and the basic principles of support and coordination.


Principles of the Alexander Technique

Principles of the Alexander Technique

Author: Jeremy Chance

Publisher: Singing Dragon

Published: 2013-01-15

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 0857011057

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Since its beginnings in Australia in the 1890s, the Alexander Technique has become renowned as a powerful and effective antidote to the stresses and strains that modern life places upon our bodies. This introductory guide presents readers with a definitive overview of the Alexander technique which teaches us how to co-ordinate mind and body effectively so that our thinking is clarified and our movements become naturally lighter. Encompassing everything from teaching lineages to how the method works to how to find a practitioner, the book provides all the key information on the topic. It also includes a chapter on how to practise the technique at home as well as a useful resources section. Written in an engaging style and full of illustrations and photographs that demonstrate the technique, this book will be of interest to anyone considering options for treatment, as well as anyone wanting to know more about the Alexander Technique.


The Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique

Author: Wilfred Barlow

Publisher: Inner Traditions / Bear & Co

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 9780892813858

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The Alexander Technique, a revolutionary method of bodywork pioneered by the late F.M. Alexander, provides the key to successful body dynamics. Now, in this updated and revised edition, Wilfred Barlow's classic guide to Alexander's work explores every phase of the technique. Today, the Alexander Technique has a world-wide following and is respected as a major contribution to the fields of medicine, education, and psychiatry. Barlow, the foremost exponent and teacher of Alexander's work, explains how your mental, physical, and sexual well-being are affected by the way you use--or misuse--your body. He shows you how to reduce mental stress and muscular tension by becoming more aware of balance, posture, and movement in everyday activities.


The Alexander Technique Resource Book

The Alexander Technique Resource Book

Author: John B. Harer

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2008-12-24

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0810863928

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The Alexander Technique is a hands-on educational method that helps individuals learn how to eliminate tension in the body caused by habitual limitations in the way they move and think. The health benefits of the Alexander Technique are both physical and emotional. It improves balance, posture, and stamina, and has been shown to improve cognitive functions. And it was practiced and endorsed by renowned philosopher and educator John Dewey. The Alexander Technique Resource Book provides guidance and information that aids in studying the technique and locating sources for further research in the field. It contains information on print, audio, video, and web-based resources, and includes a description of the basic principles and benefits of the Alexander Technique. This book benefits students, scholars, and researchers, as well as musicians, actors, and athletes looking to enhance performance in physical activities. It is a helpful resource for anyone seeking information on alternative and complementary medicines like the Alexander Technique.


Body Learning

Body Learning

Author: Michael Gelb

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 196

ISBN-13: 9780805042061

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"The Alexander Technique is now recognized the world over as the most revolutionary and far-reaching method developed for maintaining the health and efficiency of the body."--Back cover


Change Your Posture, Change Your Life

Change Your Posture, Change Your Life

Author: Richard Brennan

Publisher: Watkins Media Limited

Published: 2012-01-01

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1780282109

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Change Your Posture, Change Your Life analyses the origin and development of the Alexander Technique, how it works and what are its benefits. In chapters ranging from 'The Secret Key to Good Posture' and 'The Hidden Obstacle to Improving Posture' to 'Your Inner Acrobat' and 'First Steps in Releasing Muscle Tension', Richard Brennan examines every aspect of the technique and how it can benefit everyone, young and old. This book will appeal to the many millions of parents and teachers who are increasingly concerned about the rapid deterioration of the posture of their children, who are frequently hunched over desks and computers, as well as their own posture. It will also be of great value to doctors, consultants and physiotherapists, who already realise that posture is a crucial factor in most healthcare, plus those in physical education (including yoga and pilates), all types of sports and the martial arts. And last but not least, the book will be of priceless value to all those who suffer from a wide range of muscular-skeletal problems, including arthritis, backache and headaches, as well as a whole range of other common ailments. With more and more people becoming aware of the role that good posture plays in treating ill health, this is the perfect introduction to implementing its benefits into your own life.


The Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique

Author: Pedro de Alcantara

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2021-04-26

Total Pages: 277

ISBN-13: 1785008390

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To live is to face problems and to find solutions for them. We do so consciously or unconsciously, using intuition, reason, imagination and many other faculties. We notice a situation, we draw conclusions from what we see, hear and feel, and we act on our conclusions in a constant process of observation, analysis and remedy. 'My shoulders are tight, because I am under a lot of stress, I need a good massage.' We observe a problem (tight shoulders), analyse the cause (stress) and seek a remedy for it (the massage). But what if we have misunderstood the problem? What if our description of the problem is based on false perceptions, or our analysis on false assumptions? What if the solution aggravates the problem? This book is about our suppositions, habits and behaviours. It is about posture and attitude, tension and relaxation, movement and rest. It is about interpersonal relationships, sports and performing arts. Above all, it is about embodied emotions and the body that thinks and feels. In this fully revised new edition, Pedro de Alcantara invites you to redefine the meaning of health and wellbeing, using the insights and tools developed by a man of genius: F.M Alexander.


The Actor's Secret

The Actor's Secret

Author: Betsy Polatin

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Published: 2013-11-05

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 1583946837

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Offering revolutionary new training for the actor, The Actor's Secret teaches actors and performers how to incorporate the fundamentals of the Alexander Technique, Somatic Experiencing®, and Breathing Coordination in order to reduce performance anxiety and stress; improve stage presence, breathing, and vocal production; and restore well-being and healthy functioning. These three kinesthetic disciplines are designed to lead to profound change and healing through body-mind reeducation. Part I explains in detail the principles of the three techniques. A practical method for self-improvement and neuromuscular reeducation, the Alexander Technique focuses on changing inefficient habits of movement and patterns of tension that inhibit the ability to move easily. Breathing Coordination helps increase breathing capacity and awareness. A method for resolving emotional trauma, Somatic Experiencing® follows a process of tracking bodily sensations to restore vitality and health. Enhanced with over 100 instructive photos, Parts II and III present explorations and exercises that draw on elements of the three methods. Topics covered include the importance of presence and non-doing; the proper mechanics of vocalization and singing; the understanding of character and role; and the actor's journey from auditions to performance, including initial script preparation, rehearsal, monologue, and scene work. Developed by Betsy Polatin, a movement specialist and master lecturer at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, the book's exercises provide the actor with simple tools for exploring his or her acting work. Most techniques and self-help books teach a new way of "doing." The secret of this book lies in "non-doing." When the actor learns to first recognize and then suspend habitual patterns, he or she opens the door to deeper artistic choices. "I have worked with many fine Alexander Technique teachers over the years and Betsy Polatin is far and away one of the finest. Her touch, her instincts, and her knowledge are miraculous."—Andre Gregory, actor and director, My Dinner with Andre


The Use Of The Self

The Use Of The Self

Author: F.M. Alexander

Publisher: Spring

Published: 2019-04-30

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781409182955

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The world famous classic by the originator of the Alexander Technique, with a new perspective by Anthony Kingsley. Frederick Matthias Alexander was born in Tasmania in 1869. In his twenties, he became a professional reciter of dramatic pieces. After almost completely losing his voice he pioneered a method of improving the 'use' of his body musculature in all positions and movements and cured his vocal problems without medical aid. Alexander then realised that most people stood, sat and moved in a defective manner and that incorrect 'use of the self' might be the cause of much human suffering. He moved to London and established a school, publishing several books and achieving success, with recommendations from famous contemporaries such as Aldous Huxley and Sir Stafford Cripps. Alexander died in 1955 but his 'principle' lives on through the work of many teachers of his method.