By Brooke Lieb
Alice Olsher taught the Post Graduate Program "The Carrington Games: From the Basics of Self-Care" to Training Teachers on January 14 & 15.
LIEB
Alice, you and I have had amazing conversations, in person and by phone, about the work. I love discussing both technical and pedagogical ideas, as well as the need to innovate and adapt to our the needs of our private students, as well as the teachers we are training, You shared that these discussions is one of the ways you have continued your own development and growth as a teacher and teacher trainer. I personally have found the depth and breadth of our conversations rich beyond measure. I am so excited that NYC area teachers and teachers in training will have a chance to work with you this January. When did you first encounter the Alexander Technique?
OLSHER
I had my first lesson in 1972 at Drama School in London. I volunteered to be demonstrated on. I knew from that moment that Alexander would change my life. "Give me my life," I said to Walter, the year before he died, the same thing I hope I have said to Mary Holland. They gave me the work, which is my life, and I thank both of them, as well as Dilys and Peggy Williams.
LIEB
What were your early lessons like?
OLSHER
My first lessons were really interesting. My teacher was Mary Holland. She had, and still has, so much inhibition in her, which comes through her hands. I am not sure how much I understood at that time. It was the quiet I got which gave me the clarity I was able to use in my acting. We had ten lessons in the Drama School. After that I wanted to continue lessons and that was the beginning of my long association with 18 Lansdowne Road( from 1973-2010 when it was sold} and, of course, Walter and Dilys Carrington.
I remember one day I arrived, to have my lesson, and Dilys was on the stairs, which led from the school to her flat, and she said "Come up and see, Princess Ann is getting married." I did, and we watched the wedding, and then I had my lesson.
LIEB
Why did you decide to train?
OLSHER
Really, I decided to train because I wanted more command of the work for myself, and it seemed doing it every day, the way one does while training, would help me towards that. I was so lucky to have the training I did. I did not know if I would teach at that point I just wanted to learn it for myself. Later in the course I did decide I would teach.
LIEB
Tell us about your time working on the training.
OLSHER
I worked in the training for 15 years after I qualified. untill I relocated to San Diego.There were 45 trainees during that time. Dilys had a post grad program that invited teachers back to work in her first year class in their 9th term and two terms after they qualified. We almost all did that and then some of us stayed on . Walter aslo encouraged everyone to do at least one teaching term every day they could in the afternoon class which had his second and third years.
I did some of my private teaching from there and taught in the class for Dilys one day and Walter 4 or 5 days depending what else I had on such as teaching in Mountview Theatre School. I learned the shape of the class. Dilys would give her new teachers more experience to build their confidence. I was very interested in the work Dilys had done with Lyn Nichols where Lyn wrote down Dilys' process of teaching first years. I asked Dilys if I could come in and observe her teaching on the mornings I did not have my own hands on group to teach. I was teaching private lessons there but crossed out the time of hands on group so I could be with Dilys during her group. I did that 4 days a week for many years with her. I also spent time with her as she arranged the groups and private lessons in the class. We were very close. I learned a lot and we were great friends. I also spent time observing Walter teaching his hands on groups which was a very big treat. I saw that Dilys taught the trainees how to Inhibit and Direct in a very clear specific way and then sent them to Walter who worked on the same thing, building the habit of staying with themselves and not doing anything to the person they had hands on.
Walter always made sure everyone in the classroom had a hand from him. He would not leave till they had.
Sometimes he would stand at the door and look around the room and say something like "No one is frowning so I must have got to everyone." Then he would smile his big smile and out he would go to his room for a sit down before he began his afternoon teaching.
There we all worked together with Dilys and Walter. It was and still is a great team there at Constructive Teaching Centre. Walter led with mutual respect, kindness and self responsibility and it filtered through to all of us.
LIEB
When did you relocate to San Diego?
OLSHER
I relocated to San Diego in 2005. It was not planned. We had come for the holidays and stayed due to illness of a family member in San Diego.
LIEB
Tell us about your approach to training teachers.
OLSHER
My approach to training. I run a classic Carrington training. I use the structure I was trained in because it makes sense to me . We start the day with turns , then I take the trainees in a half hour hands on group. After the group, there is a "game" A game is taking a light look at how we use ourselves in everyday activities which I break down into small increments and add a bit each day . That way the focus is on inhibition and direction and not the thing we are doing.
Then we read Alexander's books and other books for half hour. There is a break in there too and then another turn. That is the schedule . I think the philosophy I hold is that the course is to teach the trainees how to look after themselves . The whole first year is devoted to that to put down the foundation of inhibition with direction.
In teaching hands on some very important principals I stick to that we did with the Carrington's. is that each person is responsible for themselves and I encourage them to pay attention to that fact whether they have hands on or are having someone put hands on them or observing. It is important to me that they are not pointing out things to each other. Walter said and I have found it to be true for me too, that people do better when they are all taking the time and attention for themselves . Staying with this philosophy leaves space for each person to work easily on themselves and explore what they observe that way.I think the stopping has been the most important part . For me, it is the work. I learned this from Walter and Dilys . It was taught as a bedrock , a base to come from and as I have gone on teaching over the years I find on the whole the less I "do" with my hands the more I feel and the more they get too.
LIEB
What can participants look forward to learning at your January 14 & Sunday, January 15, 2017 "The Carrington Games: From the Basics of Self-Care to Training Teachers”?
OLSHER
The participants, Trainees and teachers alike, will get a chance to participate in putting hands on the back of the chair through using inhibition and direction. I will take everyone through a bit of history and set up the class the way I work in my training and then we will work in a way that they will have time and space . For trainees, it is very good way to understand that the inhibition the stopping is the gift we get for ourselves which we can then give to others through our hands. For teachers, it is a refresher, a chance to stop and take stock where nothing is expected of you except to be with yourselves. Teaching gets demanding so this can give you a break from the needs of the pupil. This is for you.
[author] [author_image timthumb='on']http://www.acatnyc.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Brooke1web.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]N. BROOKE LIEB, Director of Teacher Certification since 2008, received her certification from ACAT in 1989, joined the faculty in 1992. Brooke has presented to 100s of people at numerous conferences, has taught at C. W. Post College, St. Rose College, Kutztown University, Pace University, The Actors Institute, The National Theatre Conservatory at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Dennison University, and Wagner College; and has made presentations for the Hospital for Special Surgery, the Scoliosis Foundation, and the Arthritis Foundation; Mercy College and Touro College, Departments of Physical Therapy; and Northern Westchester Hospital. Brooke maintains a teaching practice in NYC, specializing in working with people dealing with pain, back injuries and scoliosis; and performing artists. www.brookelieb.com[/author_info] [/autho