About the Book:

Perhaps you've heard of the Alexander Technique, a tried-and-true method to help actors and singers with their voices. It is taught at The Juilliard School and many other of the world's elite institutions for training performers. Why? It is the best method we have for developing a compelling stage presence.

Body Learning is classic work that answers in simple terms the question "What is the Alexander Technique and how can it help me?" The Alexander Technique is a gentle method through which you gradually learn to free yourself from unconscious physical habits that limit your ease, versatility, and freedom. More than 100 years ago, Australian actor F. M. Alexander (1869-1955) was losing his voice due to chronic laryngitis. He found that decreasing the tension in his neck freed his vocal cords, because his head no longer compressed his spine. Body Learning includes a reader-friendly introduction to the seven operational ideas of the Alexander Technique and emphasizes the usefulness of his approach in easing the path of lifelong learning.

Essentially a type of therapy that aims to treat and prevent a range of disorders through a system of postural changes, the Alexander Technique aims to re-educate the mind and the body through a series of movements so the body uses muscles more efficiently. The relationship between head and spine is key. When the neck muscles work well, the head should balance lightly at the top of the spine. By unlearning common bad postural habits and ways of using the body, people can alleviate tension, fatigue, back pain, neck stiffness, asthma, headaches, depression, and many other ailments. This translates to a greater possibility of fully embodying characters whose physical life is different from your own while maintaining healthy use of your body. Natural free use of the breath is addressed as a result of freeing the whole self, supporting your voice work. Body Learning also shows how the Alexander Technique can be applied to every kind of learning experience, from children's education and the acquiring of basic skills to the most advanced needs of musicians, entertainers, professionals, and athletes.

What people say:

"This book is to be welcomed. It shows the best way of returning to better and more healthy use of our equipment-for-motion. Mr. Gelb seems to me uniquely qualified to speak with authority." — Professor Nikolaas Tinbergen, Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Physiology

About the Author:

Michael J. Gelb is a sought-after speaker and consultant in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and leadership development. A teacher of the Alexander Technique since 1978, he is a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique. He is the director of the High Performance Learning Center in Washington, DC, and international leadership consultancy to business and professional groups worldwide.