Alexander Technique Classes in Dublin?

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coolaboola

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Does anyone know if and where Alexander Technique classes are run in Dublin (preferably Dublin 2, 6, 8 or 12)?

Has anyone experience of the Alexander Technique?
 
I'm pretty sure that you would find this in the guide to evening classes for Dublin. I found this link but don't know anything about them [broken link removed]

Nogser
 
Thanks for that Nogser! Yup I had found that link too but it seems he does corporate courses ... might check it out still though.

Also did a quick search on www.nightcourses.com but couldn't find any other Alexander Technique classes.
 
Try this link :

www.alexander-tech.com/findateacher.html


I was trying to find a teacher a couple of years ago, and found that :

(a) Most teaching is (or should be ?) 1:1
(b) Some of those listed weren't actively teaching
(c) They only operated during working hours M-F

I got a bit discouraged (despite one session) and never follow-up after that.
 
Coolaboola

Just wondering why you are looking at the Alexander technique? After years of Rugby, I did a Tai Chi course which also had a great effect on some old neck and back injuries. It too emphasises posture and deep breathing.

Nogser
 
Hi! I can't advise on Alexander teachers in Dublin but had sessions for about a year in London. Potted version.....Alexander was a professional actor who at one stage of his career developed difficulties with voice projection which lost him roles and work. Undaunted he set about investigating what was at the root of his difficulty and discovered (through close observations of himself in a mirror as he delivered his lines) that he tended to pull down his chin and retract his neck - involuntary accompanyments to the anxiety of being heard.

From this initial discovery he continued to explore muscular tensions in everyday activities, developing a manipulative technique to "retrain" the body to let go of these habitual responses.

A friend who "taught" at the Royal Colleage of Music (many musicians use Alexander to counteract the habitual stresses of playing e.g. cello which can lead to repetitive-strain injury) describes his job as "teaching people how to sit down and stand up".

Alexander is a very gentle non-intrusive technique which like Tai-Chi (which another poster mentions) involves mind and body. I found it useful in maintaining back health earlier in my life before the work I did (sculpture-making in steel, lifting heavy weights around all day and lying on a concrete floor welding from beneath!!!) required moving on to remedial work (osteopathy).

Alexander "lessons" are always individual one-to-ones so I'm not sure what a "corporate" approach would entail. Everyone uses her/his body differently; everyone develops muscular routines and characteristic laziness of posture etc. so the "teaching" must be addressed to that one unique body and entails consciously-executed changes in posture, movement, lifestyle etc.

This URL (Society of Teachers of Alexander Technique) might be helpful in tracing a Dublin teacher.
[broken link removed]

It would be nice to know how you get on with it.
 
Thanks so much for all your replies.

I'm interested in the Alexander Technique to try and improve my posture. My posture problem seems to be hereditary as my mother and sisters all have similar posture problems to a greater or lesser extent. In my mother these problems have resulted in chronic back, neck and shoulder problems. I've really poor posture and have started to suffer from back problems and tension in my neck and shoulders. My back problems are getting worse.

The Alexander Technique has been suggested as a possible remedy to bad posture. I've also completed a few yoga classes which helps with posture and even considered dance classes (I've done ballroom and salsa classes before) but I think I need to address posture specifically before the problems get any worse.
 
I would also suggest that you consider Pilates.

If you do, make sure you get a properly experienced
instructor.
 
Try [broken link removed] in Mount Merrion.

There used to be a teacher in Ringsend, but I don't have her contact details.

[email protected] teaches it in Galway and may be able to identify other teachers.

Brendan
 
Has anybody tried the Alexander technique or know anybody who has?
 
Patspost - as I said in my post above, I did it for a year (weekly sessions). I've also described the background of the evolution of the technique by Alexander himself and the manipulative process. Do you have a specific question? Are you intending to find a teacher?
 
Yes Marie, I have a teacher lined up, well I am going to give it a go. I suffer occasionally from stiff/sore shoulders so I was wondering if it will help.
Are you practising the techniques you learned in London ?, do you thing the whole thing was worthwhile ?,
Tks
 
In that case you will have read some of Alexander's work and have spoken with a teacher. In my experience having had lessons 20 years ago raised awareness of use of the body, habitual posture and continues to provide an "early warning" system on points of strain (which one can then choose to address, or not!!!)

In my opinion we all do know - innately - how to live and function in the least stressful least damaging manner but often we are lazy or caught up in habits so change and transformation (and damage limitation!) depend on putting what we know already into practice.

However I wonder if your question is whether I am an Alexander practitioner and the answer to that is "No!". Although sessions with an Alexander "teacher" are called "lessons" this in itself does not qualify you to give lessons to others. There is a training over and above the sessions/lessons for those who wish to be practitioners. I can't tell you anything about these as I was never interested in being an Alexander teacher.
 
coolaboola said:
Does anyone know if and where Alexander Technique classes are run in Dublin (preferably Dublin 2, 6, 8 or 12)?

Has anyone experience of the Alexander Technique?
Click to expand...

You can try www.alexander-tech.com for Alexander courses around Ireland
 
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