The Primary Movement
In seeking, through re-education, to change the basic patterns of coordination that shape a person’s movements, the Alexander teacher will study first of all the way the pupil prepares his body for movement as a whole, for on this depends the quality or effectiveness of the ‘use” which one shows in individual physical actions, including those involved in artistic, musical or sporting activities.
The teacher’s knowledge and his hands’ ability to distinguish between good ‘use of self’ and ‘misuse’ means that he can help anyone –amateur or professional- to respond mobility wise to the best of their psycho-physiological capability and to incorporate effectively and appropriately into their daily lives the necessary adjustments learned in the lessons.
The result of a successful personal re-education program will be seen in the pupil’s new-found ability to give free expression to the natural forces which enable the body to expand upwards in movement, or more precisely, forwards and upwards, which is the internal direction of movement required to deal effortlessly with the force of gravity.
The pupil will then be able to bring and test in his chosen activity the improved use of himself which he will have learn through experimenting in daily life.
The Alexander Technique teacher may well have been trained as an artist, musician, dancer or sportsman, enabling him to bring to his work certain additional technical skills. But the Alexander technique’s primary aim is helping to improve one’s general use of oneself first of all, as a prerequisite to learn or improve other skills.
