From scrutinizing what exactly the Alexander Technique is to offering guidance on more advanced elements, such as core postural support and psycho-physical unity, this book offers a holistic insight to the Alexander Technique for practitioners and artists.
It is difficult to explain the Alexander Technique without hands-on instruction by a qualified teacher. Written by expert Alexander Technique practitioner Peter Ribeaux, who has a wealth of pedagogical and practice experience spanning 45 years, this book steps into that space.
In doing so, it refuses to shy away from some of the most alienating elements of the practice (e.g. the arcane language often used), instead breaking them down to make them more easy to understand, while also setting out the most elementary aspects of Alexander Technique for someone who may not yet be familiar with its principles.
The author uses his own extensive experience of the Technique to offer tried-and-tested advice and posits that the Alexander Technique is not just about posture, but about choice and the control of reaction.
Overall, the book provides a wide scope of the field, from concepts to techniques, as well as an exploration of its application within many different domains.
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
You Never Know What You’re Touching
Chapter 2
What is the Alexander Technique?
Recognition of the Force of Habit
Inhibition
Unreliable Sensory Appreciation
Sending Directions
The Primary Control of the Use of the Self
So what then is the Alexander Technique ?
Chapter 3
A Critique of Alexander’s Terminology: its Relation to Teaching Styles and Methods
Once again, what is the Alexander Technique? A quick summary.
1. Use, Use of the Self, Habitual Use, etc
2. Sensory Appreciation, Unreliable, Imperfect, Faulty etc
3. Inhibition, Inhibitory Act, Primary Orders, Preventive Orders etc
4. Directions and Orders, Secondary, Directive etc
5. Primary Control, Central Control etc
Primary Control and/of the Use of the Self
Conception and Teaching Technique: the relatedness of thinking and action
Chapter 4
Towards a Functional Anatomy of the Alexander Technique
Muscles and Bones
Two Muscular Systems (a convenient fiction)
The Support System
Muscle Function
Tracing the Deep Support System
The Movement System
Interaction between the Support and Movement Systems
The Role of Movement Muscles in Support
So how does it all work?
Functional Anatomy and the Alexander Technique
The Mechanism of Misuse
The Primary Control
Conscious Control and Indirect Procedure
Inhibition and Direction
Lengthening and Widening
Conclusion
Chapter 5
Scientific Research
Chapter 6
More of My Story
Training as an Alexander Teacher
Life as an Alexander Teacher Trainer
Chapter 7
Training Alexander Technique Teachers
Direction: the Primary Directions
Teaching Hands-on Work
Direction: doing and non-doing
Alexander Online
Chapter 8
The Alexander Technique for Musicians and Other Performance Artists
Some Popular Traps
Guiding Principles
Alexander Teacher vs Instrumental Teacher!
A Word About Acting
On Working with Performance Artists in General
Chapter 9
Psychological Aspects
On Psychophysicality
Non-directive Interviewing
Mindfulness
“Power Posing” as a Direction
Chapter 10
Musings, Preoccupations and Explorations
Touch and Words
The Study of Anatomy
“Arms are also Legs”
Spirals
KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!)
What really is the Alexander Technique?!
The “Big Question” - Psycho-physical Unity
My Own Back
More on Inhibition and Direction: Doing the Inhibition and Not Doing the Direction
Relations with Other Disciplines: One Alexander Technique?
Parallel Universes?
Epilogue
Bibliography
Appendices
Foreword
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