“The Alexander Technique is the foundation upon which we do our work. Benefits to be gained include release of restrictions, increased coordination, effortless movement, fuller capacity of breath, improvement in the use of voice and speech, increased tone in the musculature, a stronger sense of presence, and the ability to transform into character.

Jean-Louis RODRIGUE & Kristof KONRAD

F.M. Alexander, Founder of the Alexander Technique
f.m.alexander

F.M. Alexander, Founder of the Alexander Technique

Frederick Matthias (F.M.) Alexander was an Australian actor and Shakespearean reciter. He developed the Alexander Technique around 1900 while exploring a solution to periodic loss of voice. Given that medical treatments gave only temporary relief, Alexander suspected that his affliction might be the result of something he was doing with his vocal mechanism. He began using a mirror to observe himself while he spoke. He discovered that what he was doing wrong did not stop (or start) with his vocal mechanism. Rather, his affliction involved a pattern of malfunctioning that he carried out throughout his entire body. He also realized that what he felt he was doing was quite different from what he actually observed in the mirror. His customary use of his body felt natural and “right” even though it caused him problems while new, improved habits felt strange, at first.

In the painstaking course of solving his problems, Alexander developed a new approach to physical education and health, an approach that has enabled thousands of men, women, and children to use their bodies with ease, grace, flexibility, and freedom from strain. Alexander established a school in London over 100 years ago, and since then the Alexander Technique has spread throughout the world.

Through the Alexander Technique, you learn to observe and correct your own habits of misuse. It is a system of neuromuscular re-education that allows you to sit, stand, and move without excess muscle tension. With a guiding touch and verbal instruction, Jean-Louis and Kristof analyze your imbalances and reinforce your innate postural reflexes. Ultimately, you learn to harness your innate kinesthetic intelligence, reduce your stress level, and clear the way — in complex skills or simple daily activities — to realize your full potential.

People who are otherwise in good health may complain of back pain, excessive fatigue, poor posture, or physical tension. Although these conditions seem to be inflicted upon the body, they are often the result of the way it is used. How we use our body for ordinary daily activities, like speaking, walking, standing, or sitting affects how our body functions. A backache or neck pain is sharp and localized, yet the cause is likely improper use of the body.

When the Alexander Technique is applied, the body alignment changes:

-the head moves up from the top of the spine
-the spine lengthens to relieve abnormal curves and pressures
-the musculature supporting the skeletal frame is neither contracted nor relaxed

This dynamic balance, along with the improved relationship of head, neck and torso, is freely maintained without physical effort at all times.

Applications of the Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is of special interest to those who must use their bodies with maximum ease and effectiveness (actors, musicians, dancers, athletes, etc.), but absolutely anyone can benefit from it. Once you begin studying and practicing the Alexander Technique, you quickly discover that there is no area of your life to which the principles cannot be applied.