An Introduction to Alexander Technique

F.M. Alexander was an actor who continually lost his voice during recitals. Unable to recognise immediately why this was happening he undertook lengthy self-analysis to examine why this was occurring. What he discovered is now taught as the Alexander Technique, and can be of great benefit to singers, indeed to anybody who wishes to improve their general functioning! What Alexander discovered was that it is habitual unnecessary tensions in the body that cause it to work sub-optimally and if the processes that cause these tensions can be inhibited then the body can begin to return to a more natural state and find its 'spring' or buoyancy, leaving the person with increased freedom in thought and action. The key to good functioning of a human, he discovered, was the relationship between the head, the neck and the back, which he termed the 'primary control'. The correct alignment of these ensures optimal capacity for functioning, whatever task might be involved. 

Alexander Technique is taught by qualified teachers who work often hands on with students to raise their awareness of how the body should function, and this is done by performing simple tasks such as sitting and standing from a chair. With the help of a teacher, pupils can learn to stop and inhibit old, unhelpful and stressful patterns of behaviour and gradually acquire increased self-awareness and ease in their movements. It is important to note that Alexander did not deal with the mind and the body separately, rather he considered the human being as a whole - what today might be called a holistic approach.

It is not difficult to envisage the benefits of Alexander Technique for singers. Singing, even more than playing any instrument, relies on the efficiency of the body to allow the voice to be produced in a healthy and satisfying manner. Blocks and kinks in the body's structure result in ineffectual breathing or vocal strain. The healthiest singing demands dynamic use of the whole body for support and resonance and so the body must be internally co-ordinated if this is to be achieved. The Alexander Technique can therefore be a very useful tool to unlock the potential of a person's body and voice.