The Alexander Technique and the Performing Arts
Whether you're a singer, musician, actor or dancer, your performance is a combination of your learned skills and the ability of your body to carry out what you ask of it... when you require it.
You may have noticed the quality of your performance can change from day to day, and even moment to moment. What may have been possible yesterday, may seem a little harder to pull off today. Why would this be the case? If you've done it before, why not every time?
The answer is habit, or more precisely, muscle habits.
The muscle actions you employ to sing, play and move, only have to differ by a tiny amount and the whole action can change. Tension in the neck or jaw will not only affect your voice, it can also impact your movement due to interference with your reflexes. And, I'm sure, as a performer you'll recognise anxiety, over-enthusiasm or nerves can lead to the last thing you need before going on stage - a tightness in your jaw, neck and shoulder muscles.
If you've ever wondered why you can perform so effortlessly and precisely one day, and yet be below par and disappointing the next, these tiny, unperceivable actions may be the reason. By improving your self-awareness through guided movement, you will become more sensitive to the factors underlying your performance, and therefore give you the skills to manage and control them.
I've worked with many performers over the last twenty years and appreciate the factors and pressures that underpin performance. During this time I've devised a number of techniques performers can apply to help. You can read testimonials from my clients here.
For more information on either group courses or individual 1-2-1 sessions for your discipline please see below.
You may have noticed the quality of your performance can change from day to day, and even moment to moment. What may have been possible yesterday, may seem a little harder to pull off today. Why would this be the case? If you've done it before, why not every time?
The answer is habit, or more precisely, muscle habits.
The muscle actions you employ to sing, play and move, only have to differ by a tiny amount and the whole action can change. Tension in the neck or jaw will not only affect your voice, it can also impact your movement due to interference with your reflexes. And, I'm sure, as a performer you'll recognise anxiety, over-enthusiasm or nerves can lead to the last thing you need before going on stage - a tightness in your jaw, neck and shoulder muscles.
If you've ever wondered why you can perform so effortlessly and precisely one day, and yet be below par and disappointing the next, these tiny, unperceivable actions may be the reason. By improving your self-awareness through guided movement, you will become more sensitive to the factors underlying your performance, and therefore give you the skills to manage and control them.
I've worked with many performers over the last twenty years and appreciate the factors and pressures that underpin performance. During this time I've devised a number of techniques performers can apply to help. You can read testimonials from my clients here.
For more information on either group courses or individual 1-2-1 sessions for your discipline please see below.
