Who was F.M. Alexander?
Frederick Matthias Alexander (20 January 1869 – 10 October 1955) was an Australian actor who developed the educational process that is today called the Alexander Technique: a form of education that is applied to recognize and overcome reactive, habitual limitations in movement and thinking.
After developing major difficulties with his vocal use and for which traditional medicine could not find a cure. He discovered that his habits of reacting to a given stimulus affected his posture which in turn affected his vocal use. This discovery led him to further investigate the matter and he finally, after some years of self-analysis, defined his technique. This required a new and profound change in his thinking. He figured that what he had been doing with himself contributed to a malfunctioning of his total use. He overcame his vocal problems and commenced teaching his discoveries to others. He wrote 4 books expounding his ideas and practice. THE USE OF THE SELF (1932) is his most well-known book of his theories. The Alexander Technique is now respected and taught all over the world. While it is of special interest for people in the performing arts and those with a public profile, it is practiced by people from all walks of life.
Frederick Matthias Alexander (20 January 1869 – 10 October 1955) was an Australian actor who developed the educational process that is today called the Alexander Technique: a form of education that is applied to recognize and overcome reactive, habitual limitations in movement and thinking.
After developing major difficulties with his vocal use and for which traditional medicine could not find a cure. He discovered that his habits of reacting to a given stimulus affected his posture which in turn affected his vocal use. This discovery led him to further investigate the matter and he finally, after some years of self-analysis, defined his technique. This required a new and profound change in his thinking. He figured that what he had been doing with himself contributed to a malfunctioning of his total use. He overcame his vocal problems and commenced teaching his discoveries to others. He wrote 4 books expounding his ideas and practice. THE USE OF THE SELF (1932) is his most well-known book of his theories. The Alexander Technique is now respected and taught all over the world. While it is of special interest for people in the performing arts and those with a public profile, it is practiced by people from all walks of life.