As a teacher of the Alexander Technique, I think about coordination a lot. What does good coordination look like? What does someone who is organizing him or herself well look like?
In Alexander Technique school (and in lessons before and after my training), I spent a lot of time unlearning some of my habits of thought and movement based on a system of sound principles discovered by FM Alexander. In spite of this, I spend a lot of time in my old habits and patterns of thought and movement, not all of which are particularly healthy. I slouch at my computer; sometimes I gasp for air when I am in front of a group of people either singing, speaking, or acting; I may take a step on a mountain hike without considering the relative position of my hip, knee, and ankle joints as I bear or shift weight. UNLESS I stop and take time to slow down, think, and coordinate myself in order to choose what I really want, these old habits rule me much of the time.
What I love, and many of my fellow teachers love, is looking at footage or photographs of good coordination. However, we are also often cautioned not to present what “good use” looks like. Many (or most) of the people in these photos have good overall coordination, but they may not know a lick about the Alexander Technique. What could AT do for someone with a natural ability to coordinate oneself with a minimum of tension, a lack of overusing what isn’t necessary? For one, in the case of an athlete or performer, once a person is injured, they often don’t know how to get back to the state they had formerly “perfected.” AT’s principles, the 2 major ones being Inhibition and Direction, can put one back on track after injury. AT can shed light on the means whereby one does what one does.
I realize I’m throwing some unfamiliar terms at you. If nothing else, this post should bring more questions to your mind than it answers and when it comes to the AT, that’s okay. It is about questing, about what FM Alexander termed going from the known to the unknown. It’s a beautiful thing.
Today, I will share with you some great examples of what we in the AT world call “good use.” Use is a term which Alexander Technique teachers and students use to describe how a person does what they do with themselves. Sounds goofy, I know, but if you spend a bit of time reading about the Technique or even taking lessons, this term will begin to have meaning.
Okay, readers, let’s have at it!
Watch the way the old man (Uncle John Scruggs) and woman move out of the cabin and come to sit in the chairs. Neither of them slouch while sitting. The chairs are not places to “park” and collapse their bodies. The man has an overall upright and balanced coordination in his head, neck, and torso. If you go about watching musicians, you will rarely see this level of unified attention to the whole self and apparent lack of tension throughout a performer’s whole being.
It becomes tricky to post photos and videos which illustrate what we call “good use” because it can lead to a misunderstanding of the Technique, what it is about, how to get where you want to get in being a more unified whole. We can look at examples, study them, but ultimately, we cannot simply “copy” good use or coordination. In fact, the Technique is about peeling back the layers of our own unconscious habits of thought and movement so that we can replace them with new thinking that will hopefully lead to better coordination, regardless of how it looks to an outside observer.
Still….
Look at the poise in Ashley Lodree’s head, neck, and back and her obvious focus and lack of overall tension, even in the face of getting ready to race.
Baryshnikov, a paragon of good use (although if you catch him when he is not dancing, he is often slouching and in what one might describe as a “collapsed” state):
he can be equally stunning in a still photo
young
or older
Poise and balance
in a life before sitting in chairs becomes habitual
examples of “good use” abound in times before photography
open and free even in a complex coordination
Steven Shaw, Alexander Technique teacher:
“multi-tasking”
I also began to look for images of African women walking. The more I looked, the less I wanted to stop. It is ridiculous how many examples of beautiful balance and poise one finds. You can do this yourself–search google images for Mozambique women walking, Ghanian women walking, South African women walking, etc etc. As Michael Gelb, author of Body Learning, says (I paraphrase here), the kind of presence you find in people in many traditional cultures lies dormant in most Westerners.
What do you notice?
In the above photo, the woman in the foreground is about so much more than her size. One wonders if an American woman (or man) of any size could comport herself with this kind of presence.
And this, in which the child exhibits perfect balance throughout the head, neck, and torso, even while turning her head and taking a step. Notice the full contact of her right foot with the ground and the flexion in her left knee. Ah, if only we could hold onto our birthright–our natural poise!
(You may have to copy and paste this link…for a while, the actual photo appeared directly on this post, but I think once someone clicks through, it reverts back to the URL with no image)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebsylvester/2408941449/in/set-72157602574849955/
This is fabulous Kath!!
Efcharisto as usual, Stacey! I’m glad you liked it. Will we ever catch up? Kisses and hugs and dreams of Misha! Kath
One of my favorite – and easily viewable – examples of good use is Fred Astaire. I particularly like to watch Fred in the “ordinary, non-dance” scenes as he walks, talks etc. His good use was more or less full time.
Here’s an example, pulled from the many available on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pjlrrMvdtw
Also, as a country and western fan, I notice that a great many country music performers have excellent use.
Welcome to my blog and thanks for the comment!
Fred Astaire is amazing. I will have to pay more attention as per your recommendation. I love watching Donald O’Connor, too.
There’s no end to excellent examples of excellent use (and the flip, yes?). Lucky times to be able to look things up on youtube or google images. It can also be very instructive to watch various teachers on youtube.
Thanks! twinkly
Like this a lot. I remember our sessions so fondly. MKP
Thanks, Mary. I remember a little bit, too. It’s been so long since I’ve been teaching. I do go in and assist on the training course a tiny bit which is fabulous, but I’ve been off since my severe anemia. I so wish I were healthy already. I can’t believe how long it’s taking and how crappy I feel. If I could just do yoga and walk every day. Sigh.
I do follow a little on FB and it seems that the girls are grand, yes, but you and Chris have also had some health challenges…is it age? At least our girls are healthy!
Be well, Mary. Thanks for reading and commenting! Katherine
Hello Katherine,
I love what you have done here with all the info on the Alexander Technique, photos with commentary…plus you blog and all the connections…pretty much the “whole shebang”… Thanks you
Cheers, Michael
Thank you, Michael. I am glad a bunch of Alexander teachers and students are finding this post.
I had a lesson with you many years ago in Sweet Briar and I remembered that for a long time. I remember your hands. Isn’t that something? That impression that stays even if we are not “supposed” to focus on sensation?
You were my “home room” teacher. I still remember so many things from my time there. I think it was in ’94, quite a long time before I came to Amherst to study with Missy Vineyard. I remember Bruce Fertman’s touch and Michael Gelb’s class as well….
Thanks for stopping and taking the time to comment. Katherine
Thanks, Katherine, for your kind remembrances about our “home room” all those years ago at Sweet Briar. Your writing reminded me of a clear memory of the first time I worked with Marj Barstow and her hands & thinking in 1974. That moment of learning stays with me today. Focusing on sensation is only a problem if we try an recreate a past experience from memory. However, being mindfully aware of our kinesthetic sensation within the present moment is an important part of the Alexander Technique. Maj Barstow, Walter Carrington, and Marjory Barlow all agreed on this point. Anyway, enough of all this…it’s “Super Bowl” weekend! Go Giants!!! My best to you, Michael
Yes, I suppose I was being a bit coy when I was referring to focusing (or not) on sensation–baiting a little bit because we know how hot the topic is. I think I’ve made my peace with it, though I do hang around feeling more than thinking a lot of the time. Not that they are mutually exclusive, etc, etc. The main point is as you say–our feeling is not a reliable means for allowing the right thing to happen.
I don’t remember so much the particular feeling of certain teachers’ hands any more, but generally the memory would stay with me for years some times. I can recall sensation pretty well. As a massage therapist for 20+ years, I think I come by it honestly–it is a part of me I haven’t done or not-done anything to create.
I don’t watch football, but all of New England is a little bonkers, even here in Amherst.
As I said, I will keep watching for Hawaii updates. I’m thinking about it….
Katherine,
Thank you for this collection of photos! I started Alexander lessons a few months ago, and visual imagery really helps. I started a pinterest board on AT because I wanted to practice watching for examples of good use:
Wow, Thanks, Margaret. I am glad you found my post. How did you come to the Technique?
I just went to your pinterest page (I didn’t previously know what this meant) and I love the images that you’ve chosen. I will book mark it and return.
I am also interested in your glass mosaics! I have always dreamed of using old ceramics and broken glass in some way, but I’m not really inclined that way. Sigh.
Thanks for stopping and commenting! Katherine
Hi Katherine–glad you enjoyed the Pinterest page! I enjoy adding images to it. I am not sure how I first heard of Alexander–probably when researching ways to deal with too much sitting at the computer. I bought a book by Richard Brennan, but never read it. Then in November, my back went out, and working in the studio made it worse. I remembered Alexander, and discovered there was a teacher just half an hour away, who is also an artist! I am really glad to have this chance to learn how to be in my studio, and in my body.
p.s. I went to Hampshire College in the late 80’s
This is terrific Katherine! It really gives a full picture.
I am so glad you stopped in a read it, Priscilla. And to go the extra mile by leaving a comment? I thank you. Hope you are well! Katherine
This is a lovely article. I know AT is more than just a few simple instructions and our body spring back to their ‘natural’ state. Is there a good book you could recommend as a starter reference? I know a few runners using this technique and have been curious about it myself. Cheers!
Hey! Thanks for your comment. Maybe it is you who has been reading some of my old posts? I see my “hits” behind-the-scenes, but I don’t know who reads what.
I know many books. You are a runner, yes?
You could try Missy Vineyard’s book “How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live.” http://www.missyvineyard.com/index.php
One of the most popular “beginner’s” books is Michael Gelb’s “Body Learning.” It’s very popular.
You can also look for many different resources at the American Society for the Alexander Technique. http://www.amsatonline.org/
This is one of my most popular blog posts. I am glad you liked it. Let me know what you find….twinkly