An 8-week course covering the core Principles of the Alexander Technique for professional and amateur performers. All levels welcome.
These classes provide the space for deep self exploration and methods to improve performance and maintain presence. The exercises aim to develop a safe environment of self-knowledge, new patterns of thinking in activity and refine body coordination, grounding and freeing the performer to explore their creative range.
Knowledge and skills developed in the sessions
An awareness of subtle physical habits and stress responses that interfere with performance.
The ability to distinguish between individual patterns and that of a character.
Deeper skill to animate the nuanced physicality of a character and communicate complex emotional inner worlds.
Expanding field of attention for connection to others and communication to audience.
Greater anatomical understanding and body functioning in movement and voice.
Refined body coordination experiencing more balance, ease and lightness.
Takeaways to incorporate into personal practice
Methods to sharpen awareness of environment, physical use and thought patterns.
Exercises to let go of daily unnecessary tensions, quieting and grounding the mind-body.
Clear practice to strengthen focus in the direction of attention.
Step by step process to coordinate in activity.
Simple tools to reinforce the foundation for more spontaneity, adaptability and creativity.
The core principles of the Alexander Technique cultivates creativity, spontaneity and adaptability.
The Technique offers a process that cooperates with the performer’s understanding of what’s required in each performative situation and provides the means to recognise and lessen any interference with their work. The practice hones the skill to animate the nuanced physicality of a character and convey complex emotional inner worlds while expanding connection to others and communication to the audience.
‘Creating the conditions for your results to be inevitable’ Robyn John Simmons
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The Technique was developed by Australian actor and orator, F M Alexander at the turn of the 20th century. It started as a solution for a performer’s voice problem and nowadays its application has widened into the education field and medical areas. The Alexander Technique is considered an integral part of the performer’s training and is taught in most performing arts institutions around the globe.
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Karen Anderson is an Alexander Technique Teacher based in Melbourne. She trained aerial, acrobatics, clowning, dance, hand-balancing and contortion throughout Europe and was a professional circus artist, teacher, co-founder & director of the award winning Dublin based PaperDolls Aerial Performance Company.
As an Alexander Technique Teacher, Karen maintains respect, warmth and a playful energy, refined by many years in the community and arts industry working with and supporting artists and communities. She also draws on years of movement experience in martial arts, yoga, and performing and always brings her Irish wit. For Karen, working with students in gaining freedom from old patterns and with artists in realising their brilliance is a constant source of inspiration and joy. To her, the Alexander Technique is a quiet and profound life changer.
Karen graduated from the School for F.M. Alexander Studies, Melbourne and is registered with the Australian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (AUSTAT). She has a private practice and teaches at 16th St Studio and Howard Fine Studio.
Leonardo Canales has a BA in Drama and specialises in Movement performance and teaches at VCA, Brave Studios, Film & TV and previously taught 16th St Studio, Howard Fine Studio and Federation University.
Leonardo is a Performing Arts practitioner and Educator based in Hobart, Tasmania with extensive experience in Performance, Directing and Teaching. His training in South America as well as in Europe and Australia includes Acting, Contemporary Dance, Choreographic Theatre, Voice Performance, and Alexander Technique. He has taught Movement, Voice & Alexander Technique in Theatre Schools and Acting Studios in Chile and Australia.
Nowadays he is registered as a fully qualified Alexander Technique teacher with the Australian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (AUSTAT). He has taught at Federation University, Victorian College of the Arts, 16th Street Actor Studio, and Howard Fine Acting Studios to name a few. His work incorporates dynamic elements from his Theatre Practice and the science behind the Alexander Technique.
These classes are held on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. We pay my respects to their Elders past, present and future. This always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.