Lessons in the Art of Group Teaching: Two Workshops for Alexander Technique Teachers with Meade Andrews

June 12, 2015 admin

by Brooke Lieb Meade Andrews will be offering a two-weekend program on the Art of Group Teaching. Teachers and Third Year Trainees can register for one or both weekends. Click here for more information.

BL: Tell us a bit about your background and how you first encountered the Alexander Technique:

MA: From the age of 8, I was a devoted student of ballet, hoping to train professionally and become a ballerina. In my first year of college, I began to study modern dance. I sustained a knee injury, which never healed properly, and eventually resulted in an injury to my other knee. I tried modalities such as Rolfing and massage, but did not find healing for my knees. In the early 70's, I attended a theatre conference and watched Ilana Rubenfeld teach an AT class. She is a great teacher, and I saw people moving with ease and whole-body connectedness, and I decided to the study the work. In 1974, I moved to Washington, DC, where there were no AT teachers. However, a group of women were importing an AT teacher from NYC: Rachel Zahn, another pioneer teacher from ACAT. And that's where I began.

BL: Tell us about your training to become an Alexander Teacher?

MA: After I had studied AT for 8 years in DC, with teachers Charlotte Coe, Carol Boggs, and Susan Cohen, I began to study with Marjorie Barstow, who taught in DC twice a year for two weeks. I went to the summer intensives in Lincoln Nebraska where Marj taught for many years. There I met Bruce and Martha Fertman, and when they created a training school, I took their course. When I finished the course, I left my tenured position in the theatre and dance program at American University to become a full-time teacher of the AT. I have been fortunate to have a long and varied career as an AT teacher, traveling throughout the US and abroad: Japan, Spain, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and England.

BL: How did you develop The Art of Group Teaching?

MA: I first developed my work in the Art of Group Teaching at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, in 1989. I was first hired to teach a weekend workshop in the AT for actors. When we sat in a circle, I told them that I was there to introduce them to the AT. In a flash, every single one of them "sat up straight". In that moment, I knew that I would have to develop various group explorations as a means of presenting the work in a meaningful way within a group setting. I knew that I could not work with one person in front of the group, unless we all shared group experiences designed to focus attention and awareness on creating an understanding of the "receptive field", a condition of kinesthetic and cognitive alertness that enlivens and enhances an understanding of the AT principles. Only then, when I could create shared learning experiences and create a learning ensemble, would the students be able to focus their attention knowledgeably while I worked with one student in their presence. We all needed to be on the same page for true learning within a group setting to be accomplished.

BL: What do you enjoy most about offering Post Graduate workshops?

MA: My favorite aspect of teaching Post-Graduate offerings is the opportunity meet teachers from various backgrounds of life study, and AT training. Having studied in group settings and performed in group theatre and dance work for most of my life, I love working with groups of AT teachers and trainees. Meeting and sharing experiences and explorations together, and offering my approach to group teaching, has enriched my professional and personal life immeasurably.

[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] [/author]

ACAT’s Teacher Certification Program: Teaching Group Classes

March 13, 2015 admin

by Brooke Lieb As part of our training course, our teachers-in-training design a multi-session group class syllabus, and present one of the classes to their class mates. I am always impressed by how creative and articulate our teachers-in-training are at teaching the concepts and principles of the work through guided explorations, partner activities and demonstration. One aspect of group class teaching is finding ways to practically apply Alexander principles to the task of daily living. Our teachers-in-training are always interested in the new teaching strategies to help a student make use of what they are learning in lessons and classes in real life.

This past week in the training class (March 2015) I had the students work together in small groups to come up with ways to practically apply Alexander means-whereby to a simple activity. I suggested that they consider how to include the primary directions to organize the head/neck/back relationship while also addressing the specifics of the activity. We don’t need to teach the activity per se, we need to teach how to do it with better use by applying Alexander’s method.

The activities they chose were: crossing one leg over the other while seated (many of us realized after we were guided to direct ourselves and reorganize before we crossed a leg, we didn’t want to cross our legs anymore because we were so poised just sitting!); looking at email on our cell phones; and taking a drink from a cup.

One of the take-aways from the experience is that this approach to working with activities allows the whole group to participate simultaneously. Since it’s not possible to have hands on more than one student at a time, this is a useful method to keep the whole group engaged. Repetition of the activity and the verbal guidance allows the class participants to become familiar with the instructions to give themselves when they are on their own.

This was how Judith Leibowitz used to teach in her classes at Juilliard and on the Teacher Training Course at ACAT. She included many of the activities she taught as “The Leibowitz Procedures” in her book “The Alexander Technique” co-written with Bill Connington. Judy would take us all through the activity together, while she put hands on one student, and she would go from student to student as we all used the mirror to take ourselves through the activity.

Note: ACAT Teaching Members can log on the the member area here at www.acatnyc.org and view video of the ACAT Faculty reviewing some of Judy’s procedures on the “Members” page.

My Powerful Learning Experience from an Alexander Technique Group Class

January 5, 2015 admin

by Jeffrey Glazer Group classes can be a great way to learn the Alexander Technique. I recall a vivid example of one group class when I discovered the power of the mind/body connection, and realized how much my thinking was affecting my body.

During this class we played a simple game. The students all stood in a circle, and the teacher introduced a soft, squishy ball to toss to each other. We were supposed to make eye contact with someone in the circle before we tossed the ball to them.

As we began, I didn’t notice much. Then the teacher asked us to tune into our bodies. It was then that I noticed a tightness in my neck, that I was clenching my jaw, and more or less holding my breath in anticipation of the ball being thrown to me.

Gaining a New Perspective

The teacher then pointed out that there were no penalties for dropping the ball or making an errant throw, no winners or losers, and no time limit. In fact, we could even let the ball drop in front of us instead of catching it. That’s when something clicked. I realized I was bringing the same attitude to this game that I brought to many other areas of life. Namely, that I was supposed to be right, good, and not mess up. I assumed the goal was to catch the ball, make accurate throws, and look good doing it.

I decided that the next time the ball was thrown to me, I would let it drop. But the instant the ball was thrown my way I found myself reacting and trying to catch it. It took a few times before I was able to stop reacting and let the ball drop. I had finally opened myself up to something different, a non-habitual reaction to a ball being thrown my way. Then I noticed my neck and jaw weren’t so tense anymore, and I had stopped holding my breath. The next time the ball was thrown to me I did catch it, but it was a choice rather than mandatory. The traveling of the ball through the air and into my hands seemed to happen in slow motion, and my movements were fluid and spontaneous.

Choosing How to Respond

I realized that my thinking really did affect my body, and not just in this game, but in all walks of life. I had learned that before reacting to something, I could decide how I wanted to respond. My habitual attitude of “catch it or else!”, only created fear in my nervous system, which I reacted to by clenching my jaw, tensing my neck, and holding my breath. Once I changed my thinking to allow for a choice, I was in a state of poise, so that during the times when I decided to catch the ball, I did so with greater ease. Most importantly, the chronic pain in my neck and arms began to dissipate as I let go of the tension in my neck and jaw, and stopped holding my breath.

What’s great about the Alexander Technique is that it paves the way to do something differently, with more ease and poise. Beginning this January, ACAT will be offering drop in group classes. Come for a class and experience for yourself how the Alexander Technique can help you.

[author] [author_image timthumb='on']http://www.acatnyc.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/jeffrey.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]JEFFREY GLAZER is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. He found the Alexander Technique in 2008 after an exhaustive search for relief from chronic pain in his arms and neck. Long hours at the computer had made his pain debilitating, and he was forced to leave his job in finance. The remarkable results he achieved in managing and reducing his pain prompted him to become an instructor in order to help others. He received his teacher certification at the American Center for the Alexander Technique after completing their 3-year, 1600 hour training course in 2013. He also holds a BS in Finance and Marketing from Florida State University. www.nycalexandertechnique.com[/author_info] [/author]