The Alexander Technique itself was discovered when the actor, FM Alexander, lost his voice when on stage and had breathing problems. Nowadays, many drama schools and music colleges have Alexander Technique classes.
Our voice and breathing are affected by the use of our whole body. The quality of our vocals is reduced if we tighten our necks, over-tense or collapse our backs, stiffen our legs or pull our heads back. To improve shallow breathing and to speak or sing with more volume, we need good posture and a free body.
One of the main challenges facing actors and performers is stage fright. As the fear increases, breathing becomes shallow and the body becomes tense and fixed. The Alexander Technique is a form of stress-management that generates inner calm, grounding and a capacity for coping with performance anxiety. The Technique also heightens the ability to incorporate character roles and enhances stage presence.
As well as working with actors and singers, I help people improve presentation skills, vocal projection, preparation for giving a speech and general confidence. We can also look at interview preparation, both in terms of voice and posture. In fact, several of my pupils have had an Alexander Technique lesson on the morning of an interview – and have been successful and bagged the job.