THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE:
Choices/changes to improve the quality of musical movement.

By Laury Christie, Professor of Voice, Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique, USC School of Music.

Excerpts of an Article for "Health Notes" (News of Performing Arts Medicine-USC School of Medicine)
There are some musicians whose quality of movement sustains them throughout their performing and teaching careers without harmful effect or injury. They seem to move naturally and easily often without awareness of how or why. There are some musicians who do not move with ease, balance and alignment yet somehow sustain successful careers. However, there are many musicians whose quality of movement in performance and teaching cause constant pain or injury. They must seek help to alleviate their physical problems in order to continue working in their profession. Medical treatment and physical therapy are successful and proven means of curing most physical injuries. The effects of such treatment are often brief and the cycle of injury repeats its self. The injury/pain is treated again and again but the musician continues to live with the same quality of movement that causes the problem.

At some point these musicians may consider additional help, trying one of the alternative therapeutic techniques that have evolved over the past 100 years. During the twentieth Century, several body-mind techniques for improving health have been developed by people who had experience with their own injuries. The Alexander Technique is one example. Musicians as well as other performing artist, athletes and people from all walks of life have been discovering its benefits for over eighty years.

Frederick Matthias Alexander was Australian by birth. He became an especially gifted Actor of Shakespearean roles. Early on in his career he began having problems with his Speaking voice in the form of continuos hoarseness. He was provided temporary relief From his doctors and other practitioners. The problem worsened to the point that he lost His speaking voice during public performance. Alexander came to the conclusion that He must be doing something in his movement while performing that cause the problem. Since no one seemed to be able to figure out what he was doing, he decided to spend time Observing himself while speaking his text. He set up a group of mirror to help in this process. By means of his observations he discovered that his movement of speaking Was a pattern of misuse involving his entire body. He became aware that the way he Moved and used his body affected the way he functioned in any activity. After years of investigation, figuring out what he was doing, why he was doing it, and How to change, he learned that the imbalance in the relationship of his head, neck and torso caused problems not only with his speaking voice but every kind of movement. It led him to develop the basics of his Technique and the cure of his vocal problem.

  1. The importance of the head-neck- torso unit.
  2. The use of mental instructions to guide the body to better movement.
  3. Inhibition: taking a second to THINK and choose not to move in a way that is a harmful habit.
  4. Awareness of habits that interfere with healthy movement and quality of movement.
Awareness of how we move is the first and most important step in learning to apply the Alexander Technique. Noted clinical psychologist, Frank Pierce Jones, was able to release his back pain through study of the Alexander Technique. He called the Technique, "Body Awareness in Action." This became the title of his book which focuses on extensive research at Tufts University Institute for Psychological Research. He measured the differences between habits and thoughts as well as their effect on movement quality and compared this to the Alexander Technique.

Another student of Alexander and his Technique was the Philosopher of Education, John Dewey. Dewey suffered from poor postural habits and movement patterns which Caused sever headaches. The Alexander Technique helped him to improve his movements and to relieve the constant, debilitating headaches. He called the Technique "thinking in activity" and was convinced that it needed to be taught in the public school system. He wrote many articles to support this idea.

The Alexander Technique is primarily a mental process that may be considered educational. Today, it is taught by means of private lessons, classes, introductory workshops and seminars. Music schools and conservatories throughout America, Canada And Europe offer lessons and courses as a part of studentŐs studies. The most beneficial Way to learn is through private lessons just as musicians learn to perform their instruments. However, much can be integrated by taking classes and workshops. Such Settings usually work well in schools or institutions.

What does a person learn when taking lessons or classes? Alexander teachers guide students to become more aware of how they move in relation to their head-neck-torso. To develop deeper awareness of movement patterns that are not as beneficial. Students Begin with simple everyday activities like standing, walking getting in and out of a chair To observe their movement. Then the movement in performance related activities are Applied to the Technique. Teachers also teach with their hands using gentle touch to help students direct themselves into balance and alignment. Teaching by touch has nothing to do with massage or any other manipulative therapy. Students are dressed but Encouraged to wear clothing comfortable for movement. Another important pedagogical tool is body mapping. Our brains have a map of body and image of ourselves. We use our map to navigate our senses- sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and movement. How we think we are connected and how we move many not have much relationship. Students learn an accurate map of their skeletal structure, muscles and joints, etc.. Gradually they Let go of inaccurate maps. Thus allowing for a quality of movement that prevents more Stress or possible injury. The beauty of the Technique is that Alexander Teachers teach Students how to teach themselves and that it is a life long learning process.

Can anyone learn the Alexander Technique? Am I too old to change? To some degree everyone can learn to apply the Alexander Technique. No one is too old or too young To change is they really want to. For example, George Bernard Shaw did not begin his Lessons until he was eighty.

As you read this article take a moment to notice how you are sitting. Is your back overly Arched? Do you feel tension in your shoulders or neck? How is your breathing? Is your chin pulled into your neck? As you become aware of tension or imbalance can You release some of it and still read on? If so, then you are giving finely tuned attention To having a better quality of movement to this activity. Welcome to the Alexander Technique. You just had your first lesson and are on the way to becoming your own teacher.

References:

Conable, Barbara, William Conable. How to Learn the Alexander Technique. Columbus, Ohio: Andover Press, 1995 Gray, John. The Alexander Technique. New York: St. MartinsŐs Press. 1991 Kaplan, Deborah, P.T> . Back Trouble, A New Approach to Prevention and Recovery Based on the Alexander Technique. Gainesvill, Florida: Triad Publishing Co., 1987.

If you are interested in reading about the Alexander Technique, please refer to the above References. If you are inbterested in lessons or participatory workshops anywhere in the US or Europe, check out the following website: WWW. Alexander Foundation

If you are interested in classes, lessons or workshops within the South Carolina Community visit:

http://www.music.sc.edu/fs/christie/musc581/

About the writer of this article:

Laury Christie is a faculty member of the USC School of Music where she teaches voice and classes in the Alexander Technique. She brings an extensive international background of performance in opera theater and the concert stage in addition to teaching to the Alexander Technique. She was trained and certified in the Alexander Technique by Aileen Crow, Master Teacher, in New York City. In additions her studies include work with Marjorie Barstow, Barbara Conable, Alex Murray and Joan Murray. Thanks to the support of the University of South Carolina and the USC venture Fund Grant, she was able to train and bring to the University the first Alexander Technique course for credit and integrated into A School of Music degree program in the Southeast. Also thanks to the many students Who give her the motivation to continually develop a somatic education process that encourages them to discover their own unique, graceful, elegant and healthy movement and the expression of their musical talents.

Updated: 10-10-00 by RB