This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Conducting (Conductors’) Technique, is published in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the accurate conducting technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
When I was in training to become an Alexander Technique teacher, there was a saying attributed to one of the senior teachers.
NOTHING IS WORTH LOSING YOUR FRONT LENGTH OVER.
What did this mean?
No matter the difficulty of the activity, there is no need to sacrifice your body by hunkering down to get it done.
Let’s take a look at this.
Hunkering down is when you pull your head forward and downward, shortening your neck, and curving your spine forward and down, as an expression of your intention to do what you’re doing, in a sport or playing a musical instrument, as best you can.
IT IS THIS INTENTION TO DO YOUR BEST AT WHATEVER THE ACTIVITY, THAT CAUSES MOST PEOPLE TO TENSE UP AND HUNKER DOWN.
It is the fear of failure that causes most people to try TOO hard.
I’m not addressing the fear you bring to an important activity, but to show you how you can do what you’re doing by not harming the body with tension and compression of the joints.
Most people see this hunkering down and tensing up as a good thing, meaning you are trying to do your best.
CAN YOU DO YOUR BEST WITHOUT TENSION OR HUNKERING DOWN? YOU CAN ONLY DO YOUR BEST IF YOU DON’T TENSE UP AND HUNKER DOWN TO DO YOUR BEST.
What do I mean?
If a person wants to do his or her best in an activity, THEN THEY CAN ONLY DO SO WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE TECHNIQUE OF THE ACTIVITY WITH POOR POSTURE (HUNKERING DOWN OR BEING RIDGIDLY UPRIGHT).
Rigidly upright is not good posture. I will grant you it may look like good posture, but it negatively affects technique, by slowing down ease of movement. It impairs the messaging and speed of your reflexes in playing a musical instrument or serving a tennis ball.
When a person focuses on a dynamically released fully upright posture combined with a dynamically released technique, no matter how intense the activity is, you are consciously choosing to do your very best at a sport or musical instrument. You are melding great posture and great technique, in a way that gets you out of the way of the speed of your reflexes.
GREAT TECHIQUE AND POSTURE BECOME INSEPARABLE, AND THE PERFORMANCE OR COMPETITION CAN BECOME EXTRAORDINARY WITHOUT WEAR AND TEAR TO YOUR BODY.
So, doing your best in a specialized activity can be about consciously creating great body use and technique, no matter the level of fear before a competition or a performance.
IF YOUR BODY IS NOT EXHIBITING/MANIFESTING YOUR FEAR, THE EMOTIONAL FEAR MAY DROP AWAY IN A SPORTS COMPETITION OR A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE.
Then you truly get to enjoy what you’re doing in the moment!
