Transforming Lives Through Health

There are many aspects to learning music and becoming an accomplished player and performer. From becoming familiar with the chosen instrument, to mastering the sounds it can make, and everything in between. With this learning adaptive mannerisms of use are adopted. Instruction may be provided around the best ergonomic placement for the body in relation to the instrument. This can help to initially adapt to playing and is marvelous, because it helps you to take care of yourself. 

So how can Alexander work help? The Alexander work is concerned with developing your relationship to yourself as well as your relationship with instrument.  One is not mutually exclusive from the other. It teaches you a set of skills that help to relieve stress, manage pain, if and when needed, and to enhance performance. As a teacher I may start your learning process by asking you to stand in front of the chair and then work with you to stand and sit. When you develop and apply the skills provided in the Alexander work to sitting and standing, it is an easy transition to work with more complex skills like playing an instrument.

The chair is a really great tool for invoking unconscious habits you have collected over the years.  The action of sitting or standing is something very familiar.  Its banal routine means you “don’t have to think about it” because the movement is "automatic". So much so that the mention or thought of a chair, starts an unconscious chain reaction and you begin to implement a sitting or standing response.  Cool right?  You really don’t have to get caught up with “insignificant tasks”.  You can think on higher topics.  This higher thinking redirects your attention away from your movement. 

Movement is not automatic.  Every action you make is a choice whether it is consciously chosen or not.  There is a series of checks and balances that the brain and body make with each other in every single movement of every single moment, every day.  If there is no effective regulation the body and brain refer back to the last time a similar movement was made and rehash it with the new information from the current moment.  This is the part where Alexander work excels.   

The wonderful thing about Alexander work is that it is intended as a method for prevention. You don’t need to have something wrong with you to take lessons.  In fact it is beneficial to learn the skill  before something happens if you are able. Many actors, musician, dancers use the technique to help prevent injury and to enhance their performance. 

Take a series of individual lessons or join one of the group classes and start your journey towards a more free and expressive working and performing experience.

Click here to book.

• Weekly Group Class: September 16th through May 11th, Tuesdays 2:00pmEST, $300.
• Mind in Motion: Live-stream only, Friday at 8:30am-9:30am. 4 sessions for $40/month. Or $105 for four classes plus and an individual session.
• Workshops - next workshop is February 7th from 9-11 $325.