Wednesday, May 2, 1978

Working on her direction. Taking someone in and out of a chair.

We work in a spiral. Each time we learn shoulder or head direction, etc., We can grasp more. That is why we don't stick to one thing until completely learned. It is a cumulative learning experience.

Take a person into a chair.

Neck free.

Head forward and up. Torso lengthening and widening.

Give yourself space. You have to move.

Open legs wider.

Widen base.

Widen between your arms.

Take your student off balance, by moving head back.

Then their knees bend.

Then bring the student’s head forward.

If your hands get tight, take them off and put them on again.

Out of a chair. Pivot your student on hip joint. Knees pulling apart.

Head forward and up. Forward is from the base of the skull.

Float the knee forward. The knee bands from the hip and ankle joint.

Idelle Packer, MS, PT, mAmSAT, certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, has been creatively exploring its broad application for over 35 years. In her private practice, Body Sense, in Asheville, NC, she teaches the Alexander Technique in context of physical therapy assessment and rehabilitation. She authored the chapter on the Alexander Technique in Springer Publishers’ Encyclopedia of Complementary Health Practices (1999). Her current passion is Contact Improvisation, a somatic and athletic improvisation form, to which she has been joyfully integrating the principles of the Technique over the past fifteen+ years.