F.M. Alexander was an actor who in the late 1800s lost his voice. Doctors could not find a cause, so he took a long rest in hopes his voice would return. As soon as he went back on stage, he lost his voice again. So he began to study himself. He spent months and years in front of mirrors and discovered that when he went to speak he subtly changed his posture and created excess tension in his body that led to the loss of his voice. As he discovered that HE was the problem (a blessed discovery in any health pursuit!), he continued studying himself to learn ways to interrupt those destructive habits and allow his nervous system to integrate better with his body to create new, constructive habits.
After he identified the process that worked for him, he trained others; and the Alexander Technique was born. The technique has since expanded considerably to include a very specific set of therapies and hands-on methods.
Keep in mind if you read about a “typical AT lesson,” that is not what I offer. My coaching process marries Alexander’s original idea of self-observation and self-improved mind-body integration with violin technique and musicality instruction. Hence I offer “Alexander Technique-INSPIRED” violin coaching and NOT “Alexander Technique” sessions.
Here is a good website if you would like more details on the Alexander Technique itself:
https://www.alexandertechnique.com/fma.htm
And as a bonus, here is my teachers and peers’ favorite daily practice:
Relax everything in less than 3 minutes: Learn the CyCle! This video was created by the Art of Freedom AT teacher, Jennifer Roig-Francoli, to demonstrate an “etude” created by Primal Alexander AT teacher Mio Morales. Enjoy!
Zen Violin 