Move freely, perform strongly
The Alexander Technique for performing artists
a personalised programme (3 months)
Does this sound familiar?
You’re experiencing tension and/or pain (in your back, neck, arms, shoulders, jaws, etc.). This is getting in the way of your professional life as an artist. It’s causing you stress because it’s holding you back in your artistic development. And all this at a time when so much is expected of you.
High expectations
It cannot be underestimated what it means for an artist to cope with excessive physical and mental strain. In your profession, the bar is set high. There are constantly all sorts of expectations from those around you: your clients, the audience, your colleagues… Driven by your passion, you yourself also have the desire to do very well, to grow and to improve.
But you don’t always receive the support and recognition you deserve as an artist. The outside world doesn’t understand what your job really entails, and among colleagues, topics such as pain and stress aren’t discussed very openly.
Your body pays the price
You can feel how tired your body is. On the one hand, this is because you have to push yourself physically (long rehearsals, tours, teaching, sitting or standing for long periods, irregular schedules, little sleep…). But on the other hand, it’s also because the pressure to perform and your worries can manifest as physical tension and pain. This, in turn, makes your anxiety worse, because your body is essential to your work.
It’s not always easy to unravel the causes of your struggles. And your professional and personal lives aren’t always easy to separate from one another. You want to feel good, both as an artist and as a whole person.
This programme will equip you with skills and insights that will last a lifetime
For decades, the Alexander Technique has been helping artists around the world to prevent tension and pain through greater body awareness, and to develop their creativity, freedom of movement and mental space.
This is where you’ll be after completing this programme:
- You can observe and change habitual patterns in your posture and movement
- You recognise and prevent excessive tension
- You know how to prevent pain
- You move with greater ease
- You have more confidence in your performance and stand more firmly on stage
- You can practice mindful exercises yourself
- You experience greater physical and mental space to grow artistically
- You no longer let yourself be overwhelmed by stress, performance pressure and expectations
In other words:
You’ll expand your repertoire with skills, tools and insights that will help you – not just now, but throughout your life – to carry out your creative and valuable work with less stress and pain, and with a calm and clear mind.
What do I offer you in this programme
Your body is one with your mind. That is the fundamental principle behind the method I use: the Alexander Technique, a powerful method that is highly regarded internationally in the performing arts.
More about the Alexander Technique
In my classes, I combine verbal instructions with gentle yet clear hand signals, so that you learn to recognise tensions and habitual patterns in your posture and movement for yourself.
The programme consists of
- 11 one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons, 1 hour per session
- tailored to your activity
- acces to an online platform with supoorting materials
- personalised plan for a body-mind upgrade of your artistic (rehearsal)practice
The lessons I took with Annelies have been a real game-changer. I’d already read a bit about it, but it was only when I actually started taking lessons that the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. So many elements come together in the Alexander Technique (posture, focus, relaxation, mental growth, a gentle gaze) – a must for every musician!
An investment in yourself
Financial
This personalised programme costs 897 euros (no VAT applicable – VAT-exempt business)
I offer a reduced rate for students; please contact me for more information (under 26 and student ID required).
Think of it as a long-term investment: you’ll gain insights and skills that will continue to add value throughout your entire professional career. What’s more, you’ll also notice a difference in your everyday life.
You can pay for the programme in three instalments (see ‘Practical information’ below).
Commitment
You are choosing to embark on an intensive immersion in mind-body awareness. I invite you to incorporate what you learn right from the start of the programme into your professional practice and your daily life. I’ll show you how to do that. That way, you’ll start to experience the added value right from the outset!
In principle, you’ll attend every week. This is how the learning process works best, and it allows the experiences to really sink in. In total, you can expect the programme to last around three months.
Practical information
- Lessons take place in Ghent, near Dampoort station
- Each lesson lasts 1 hour
- Payment in instalments is available: you can pay in three instalments, subject to a small administration fee
- Cancellation policy: please refer to Terms and conditions
- Click the button below to get in touch with me; please mention your interest in the course and I’ll send you all the details you need to get started
Veelgestelde vragen
Kan ik niet beter naar een kinesist gaan?
Bij matige tot ernstige klachten is het altijd best een arts te raadplegen en na te gaan of je kan geholpen worden met medicatie en/of oefentherapie.
De Alexandertechniek biedt daarnaast een belangrijke meerwaarde:
- Alexandertechniek is future-proof: leer de skills om niet te hervallen (preventieve, educatieve methode)
- Effecten beperken zich niet tot één plaats (bv. minder nekpijn): je zult je hele lichaam beter gebruiken
- Sterke nadruk op de mentale component: bewegen en denken zijn verstrengeld
- Alexandertechniek vraagt geen “oefentijd”, je integreert het in je bestaande activiteiten
- Je gaat spierverslapping tegen door anders te gaan zitten, staan en bewegen, in al je dagelijkse activiteiten
- Je leert hoe jouw unieke lichaam reageert op stress, wat jouw individuele gewoontepatronen zijn, en hoe je via het lichaam stress kunt verminderen
Bonus: de Alexandertechniek heeft als methode een decennialange en wereldwijde expertise binnen de podiumkunsten! Het is een vast opleidingsonderdeel in een aantal van de meest prestigieuze conservatorium ter wereld, zoals The Juilliard School in New York.
Wat is het verschil tussen Alexandertechniek en ergonomie?
De Alexandertechniek verandert hoe je jezelf gebruikt, ergonomie is meer gericht op de omgeving waarin je jezelf gebruikt. Als artiest is het goed om ook je uitrusting kritisch te bekijken, bijvoorbeeld: zit je op een goede stoel, is je instrument-set-up aangepast aan jouw lichaamsbouw, … Toch is een perfecte ergonomische set up geen garantie om pijnloos en vrij van spanning te spelen. Ook je “inner ergonomics” moeten gefinetuned worden. Dat is precies waar Alexandertechniek in beeld komt.
Het doet me een beetje denken aan mindfulness?
De Alexandertechniek wordt ook wel eens “mindfulness in activity” genoemd. Oefening in aandacht, bewustwording, denkpatronen en mentale instructies zijn inderdaad belangrijke elementen in de methode. Maar je gaat er bij wijze van spreken niet in stilte en met de ogen dicht voor zitten; je leert mindful te zijn in het midden van jouw dagelijkse of professionele activiteit.
Ik heb een onregelmatig werkschema. Kan ik dit traject op mijn agenda afstemmen?
Laat dit geen struikelblok voor je zijn. Als je je afvraagt of het haalbaar en inpasbaar is, contacteer me dan vrijblijvend om te bespreken wat kan.
Ik twijfel nog, kan ik eens met jou praten?
Geen probleem. Ik bied een gratis gesprek aan, meer info vind je via deze link.