The Alexander Technique

Enhancing performance and your quality of being

What have Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams, Moshe Feldenkrais, Olympic athletes,
Yehudi Menuhin, Prof. Raymond Dart, The Julliard School of Music, Keanu Reeves and
world beating quartet Isidore String Quartet all got in common?

Yes, you guessed it (the clue is in the title), the Alexander Technique.

Developed by F.M. Alexander in the early 20 th century, countless students have sought
out his technique to give relief from back injuries to tendonitis, from loss of voice to
performance anxiety. Organizations that train athletes, musicians, dancers and actors
have an Alexander teacher on staff or have part of the training dedicated to the
technique, because it helps with the body, mind and for want of another word, the
“being” of the performer.

If you are a musician, then you are always in a duet – there is the instrument that you
play, and then there is the instrument that does the playing.

This of course is true of all the other activities we encounter, a dancer is in harmony
and dances with their instrument, an actor knows the instrument in order to play, but
where is the user’s manual? Where is the guidebook to how this instrument is played?

Among some of Alexander’s students, was Prof Raymond Dart an anatomist and
evolutionary biologist (google Taung Child). He suffered from exhaustion (the early 20c
word for a nervous breakdown) and a postural twist that gave him a great deal of
discomfort. He also had a son that was born prematurely and developed cerebral palsy.
After studying the Alexander Technique, he became isolated from his teacher and
created the Dart Procedures. These practices enabled him to partner with the ground
and found relief, not only for himself, but also for his son.

Often, the Alexander Technique is twinned with some of Dart’s procedures. We will be
examining some of the principles over the course of the two Fridays.

These two one hour sessions will give you an introduction to the Technique and Dart’s
procedures to give you some practical processes to help enhance your practice and
perhaps improve your quality of being.

"The Alexander Technique helped a long-standing back problem and to get a good
night's sleep after many years of tossing and turning."
Paul Newman, actor

“The Alexander Technique has helped me to undo knots, unblock energy and deal with
almost paralysing stage fright.” 
William Hurt, actor. 

"People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their
futures." - F.M. Alexander, Developer of the Alexander Technique

James Peck has been a student of the Alexander Technique since 1994 and has learnt
from some of the top teachers in the field, Joan Schirle, Wendy Waggener, Delia
Rosenboom and Robyn Avalon. James has taught The Alexander Technique and Dart
under the mentorship of the Contemporary Alexander School, at places like Oberlin
Music Dept, Meadowmount School of Music and The California State Summer School
for the Arts.

James taught for over ten years at Dell’arte International school of Physical Theater,
teaching Play, the Vocal Body, ensemble devising, mask and physical expression.
Graduating students who now work in such esteemed companies as Cirque du Soleil
and The Wonderheads. He has performed, created, directed and produced theater
pieces all over the world for over 30 years and was a member of Dell’arte theater
Ensemble for ten seasons.

He has recently co-founded, OpenArt which is a company committed to reflective
change through the arts. Through the Alexander Technique, Raymond Dart’s
Procedures, Game-Play and The Human Givens this company aims to develop
personal practice of empowerment as means of somatic and social healing.

James also likes cats and is learning to juggle – activities not to be confused. He is a
fervent mime and mask-maker and also a keen but amateur walker with goats.