Doing Nothing, While Doing Something
Monday March 01, 2010 • Filed in: Alexander Technique
tuning the air, 2008 rehearsal. press release photo: chris florkowski
Worked again with members of Seattle Circle on the Alexander Technique as they prepare for the recommencement of their performance of Tuning The Air this March. Jaxie, one participant, said it seemed to be about “Doing nothing, while doing something.” A simple summation, yet enough for a lifetime of work and, hopefully, play. These are musicians after all, and music is meant to be “played.” Yet, it should be true for everyone: if our work does not yield to play at some point, there is little purpose to anything we do, for to play is to be part of creation.
This season, the performance will include twelve guitar players in a big circle and, as usual, the audience in the center. That’s three more than in this photo and the new performance space is much bigger. For once, the word “awesome” does apply. Recommend marking a show date in your calendar now. You don’t need to buy a ticket in advance, just show up a little early, and there’s free parking.
Notes from that class in Curt Golden’s blog may give you a hint as to what they are up to this time.
Alexander Technique: End-Gaining
Friday April 23, 2010 • Filed in: Alexander Technique
In answer to a question, I wrote the paragraph below. It focuses on some of the consequences of what F. M. Alexander called “end-gaining,” which means to investing so much of ourselves in getting something that our struggles to have it at all costs get in the way. The result, sadly ironic, is that we end up not getting what we want. What I wrote refers to performance, although life is indeed a stage, and we are all players on it:
If we are focusing exclusively on where we believe we need to go, we will not only miss how we are getting there, but how we are going about getting there. And that means all our performances, great and small, will become mere reenactments of how we have always done things. For some, this means their performance becomes stale. For others, it means their performance lacks the required quality and is thus little valued. If there was ever any joy in the performance, all of it will have drained away. Amazingly, our tendency is to keep on reenacting our well known moves even if they never get us to the place we wish to be.
Of course, “how we are going about getting there,” refers to the “means-whereby,” the concept in the Alexander Technique that holds how we are, and thus, how we act as primary. This doesn’t require that we give up our aims and goals. It means that how we are when we go about doing what we do is of primary important because this will ultimately have a great influence on not only achieving our aims and goals, but the quality of those realizations as well as their consequences, direct and peripheral, good or bad.
iphone photo: frank m sheldon. mossy shoes, april. 2010
If we are focusing exclusively on where we believe we need to go, we will not only miss how we are getting there, but how we are going about getting there. And that means all our performances, great and small, will become mere reenactments of how we have always done things. For some, this means their performance becomes stale. For others, it means their performance lacks the required quality and is thus little valued. If there was ever any joy in the performance, all of it will have drained away. Amazingly, our tendency is to keep on reenacting our well known moves even if they never get us to the place we wish to be.
Of course, “how we are going about getting there,” refers to the “means-whereby,” the concept in the Alexander Technique that holds how we are, and thus, how we act as primary. This doesn’t require that we give up our aims and goals. It means that how we are when we go about doing what we do is of primary important because this will ultimately have a great influence on not only achieving our aims and goals, but the quality of those realizations as well as their consequences, direct and peripheral, good or bad.
iphone photo: frank m sheldon. mossy shoes, april. 2010
Podcast of The Sea We Know
Tuesday February 02, 2010 • Filed in: Writing | Alexander Technique
the players: igor, greg, and mary beth at around midnight. iphone photo: frank m sheldon
Three guitar players from the House Circle, which is part of Seattle Circle, recently took on the challenge to record podcasts and post them publicly. Part of the reason to do this was to create a situation that would generate some of the same energy of a live performance. Really? Well, you see, the challenge comes from limiting the recording to one take and one take only. They get one chance to get it right, and after it is recorded, that take is then posted in a public place for anyone with an Internet connection to hear.
I have been working as an Alexander teacher with the House Circle lately, and since I had something to do with this challenge idea, I suppose it was only fair to give me the chance to place myself under the same conditions. To that end, late this last Sunday night, I was recorded reading a short piece from my novel, The Sea We Know with the three player providing the rest of the soundtrack. They requested something with action and danger. We settled on the scene where a news helicopter, after getting too close to some migrating gray whales, crashes amongst them. I learned much about writing during the rehearsals and much about where the Alexander Technique could apply while doing a reading, but more on that in future posts. For now, you can listen to the ten minute podcast here.
highly mobile recording studio and script. iphone photo: frank m sheldon
Alexander Technique at Sweet Briar
Tuesday January 12, 2010 • Filed in: Alexander Technique
tree at sweet briar. iphone photo: frank m sheldon
I am going back to teach the Alexander Technique at Sweet Briar. I helped found this course (which started at Claymont Court, WV in 1982,) and I taught on it every year for a large part of my life. A few years ago, I took an extended sabbatical, but last summer I was asked to fill in for some teachers who, due to extenuating circumstances, weren’t able to make it. It was fun! And, as usual, I learned a lot. And now, it seems, I am needed again.
Sweet Briar is a women’s college located on a few thousand acres in the rolling Appalachian foot hills of Virginia. Many people from the performing arts attend as well as those in heath care, education, business and just about anyone else. And any age. If you look at the teachers roster (although it hasn’t been updated yet) you will see a list of some of the most talented Alexander teachers in the world, which is why Alexander teachers also come to take this course. Yet, it is perfect for those who are less experienced or even beginners. Everyone seems to find what they need, and have a wonderful holiday as well. Fly in to near-by Lynchburg Airport, and we’ll send the van out for you.
. . . . . UPDATE . . . . .
A friend on Facebook asked about the course dates. There are two one-week courses:
- JULY 6-11, 2010
- JULY 13-18, 2010