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So what is the Alexander Technique?
Are you sitting comfortably? No? Then I'll begin......
At this moment how are you sitting at your computer? Are your feet flat on the floor or tucked under the chair? Are your legs crossed or even wrapped around each other? Are you sitting upright or hunched over your keyboard? Maybe you're slumped in your chair or propping your chin on your hand as you lean your elbow on the desk. Are you gripping the mouse like you'll never let go when perhaps you don't even need it in your hand?
If you were doing any of these, or any other things you noticed, were you aware of doing them until you paid attention?
Right now you are using a computer and possibly a keyboard or mouse. You are also probably using a chair to sit on while you read. Perhaps you are using a pen to make notes or a telephone to make a call. These are all very powerful tools like many others we use every day, but there is another even more powerful tool that you use all the time in every single thing you do that you probably pay very little attention to - yourself
"Our manner of use has a constant influence for good or ill upon our general functioning"
F.M. Alexander
Usually we are only aware of the effects of our use of ourselves - the back, neck or shoulder pain, the RSI, the bad knee, the inappropriate response to stress, the breathing problem, the anxiety or any of the other myriad symptoms of poor use. But what if you could learn to undo the CAUSES of the symptoms and change the way you use yourself so that you could prevent them in the future? Interested? Then you want The Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique is a set of easily learned yet immensely powerful skills that allow you take control of how you use yourself in all activity. Because these are skills of thinking they are available to you whenever you are awake. What you can do with them is learn how to release unnecessary tension from your muscles which is interfering in your natural freedom of movement, balance, coordination and poise - the sort of use of yourself you had as a small child, but which as an adult you've lost touch with. It's still there, you just have to get out of the way.
So with the Alexander Technique you're not learning how to DO things - how to sit, stand, walk or talk. You're learning how NOT TO DO the things that interfere with your natural birthright of free, easy, pain-free movement. The best thing you can do is have a lesson and experience it. Then it begins to make much more sense. Trying to explain the Technique in words is a bit like trying to explain a colour - I could describe the colour blue to you until we were both blue in the face, but as soon as I show you the colour blue you understand it immediately and the understanding never goes away. Gain an understanding of yourself - have an Alexander lesson.
What to expect:
I teach one-to-one lessons that last around 40-45 minutes. I use a combination of gentle, hands-on contact and verbal guidance to help you explore your own individual patterns and habits of unwanted tension. That is the things that you 'do' that you don't need to be doing. From this starting point of increasing attention and awareness you are taught subtle yet powerful skills of thinking that allow you to prevent these 'doings' and allow your natural 'use' of yourself to work again.
At the beginning we will use simple, everyday activities like sitting and standing, walking or bending. As your ability to prevent your unnecessary interference in movement grows we might look at any activity that interests you. The purpose is not to learn how to "do" these things correctly, but to learn how not to "do".
As you become more skillful in applying the principles of The Technique we are able to explore your use of yourself in increasingly demanding or specific activities or situations - anything that interests you. Lessons are always a process of experimentation/exploration and you are never being tested or examined. Leave your previous conceptions of learning behind!
You remain fully clothed throughout the lesson although you will be asked to remove your shoes. You will find trousers more convenient than a skirt.
About me:
I trained as an Alexander teacher from April 1992 to April 1995 at The Constructive Teaching Centre, Holland Park, West London. The training school was run by Walter and Dilys Carrington. Walter trained with Alexander from 1936 to 1939 and after the war was Alexander's assistant from 1945 to 1955 until Alexander died. Walter then took over the training of teachers and continued to do so to the present day, providing a direct link to the source of the Technique. Sadly Walter died peacefully in his sleep on August 7th 2005 at the age of 90. He leaves an immeasurable legacy and gift to the world and will be hugely missed by all those who knew him. It was a tremendous privilege to have been trained by him.
Since qualifying I have been an assistant teacher at the centre, working there on the training course and privately every Friday. The training course will continue under Ruth Murray, who has been Walter's assistant director for many years, and the other full time and assistant teachers.
The rest of the week I teach privately. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays I work from home just outside Burford in Oxfordshire. On Thursdays I am the resident teacher at Associated Newspapers in London, publishers of The Daily and Sunday Mail and The Evening Standard. On Monday mornings I teach students at The Oxford School of Drama, using my skills as an Alexander teacher and my 25 years of experience as a professional actor.
I am also an occasional visiting teacher to the Manchester Alexander Technique Training School
I am a member of STAT - The Society of Teachers of The Alexander Technique. STAT was founded in 1958 and is the internationally recognised representative body for the Technique with affiliated societies across the world. All STAT members have completed a three year, full-time training with a minimum of 1600 hours tuition. We are fully insured and bound by a Code of Professional Conduct
From 1995 to 2000 I was the press and publicity officer for STAT and a member of their governing Council.
Since 1981 when I left school I have been a professional actor working on stage and in tv, film and radio. Over the last twelve years since I qualified as an Alexander teacher my teaching has gradually supplanted my acting and I now teach full time and only work occasionally as an actor. I combine both sets of skills by teaching actors and drama students. From 1996 to 2003 I was the resident Alexander teacher at The Actors' Centre in Covent Garden, London and I have taught Alexander at Lamda and The London International Theatre School. I am now the resident teacher at The Oxford School of Drama.
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