Yesterday a client asked what kind of chairs the panelists would sit in—she was concerned that they would be the typical “club chairs” favored by many organizations: over-sized, deep-seated, bulky arm chairs. She was wise to ask. Club chairs are perfect for anyone six foot and over. The rest of us (the average height for men in the US is 5’9” and for women, is 5’4”) can find ourselves swallowed up, lost in the nether reaches, falling deeper and deeper into the chair and struggling to pull ourselves out. On stage, we want to be present, alert, poised, and full of confidence. What to do?…Read on.

If you find yourself in our house some evening, you might hear someone intone the name, “Alexander” in a deep and sonorous voice. There is no verbal response, though every person within earshot will suddenly appear to grow, as if being pulled upward towards the ceiling by an invisible thread. Actors, musicians, writers, video gamers, singers, spoken-word artists, painters, YouTubers, surgeons, athletes, anyone who finds themselves doing a repetitive physical action can benefit from the Alexander Method. Not just for posture, but for an open voice, free of tension.

This week, imagine there is a tiny thread just behind the tippy top of your head in the small indentation. Sense that this thread lifts, tilting the head slightly forward, lowering the chin, releasing the muscles in the front of the neck. The whole, subtle movement feels like falling upward, the spine finds space between the vertebrae, the lungs fill easily, and we feel like our limbs can move freely, dangling from the shoulder girdle and hips.

This week: “Alexaaaaaanderrrr.”

Who was this Alexander and how did he find this powerful tool?