Alexander Technique
Jorunn Kristoffersen MSTAT
The Alexander Technique was developed by an Australian actor named Frederick Matthias Alexander during the 1890’s. He had a persistent problem with hoarseness and voice loss that threatened to end his career. The doctors he consulted could not diagnose any specific cause for the hoarseness. Alexander reasoned that he must be doing something wrong when reciting, leading him to strain his own vocal organs. He set about observing himself speaking and reciting to see if he could spot anything unusual and to find a solution.
After several years of experimenting he developed his technique, and realised over time that it was helpful not only for performing artists, but to anyone with physical, mental or emotional conditions resulting from ingrained habits.
Lessons in the Alexander Technique are usually one-to-one. The teacher works with the pupil using gentle hands-on and verbal instruction. Learning to apply the technique helps people to overcome back, neck and joint pain, poor posture, muscle tension and stiffness, and breathing and vocal problems, among others. It helps to improve overall wellbeing and is also used to improve performance and prevent injury in music, drama and sport