Brought to you by Alexander Technique Teachers of Greater Philadelphia (ATTGP)

Celebrating the Discoveries of F. M. Alexander

International ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE Online Summit

Free Classes for the Public

January 15-20, 2024

Save the Dates!

Below is information on last year’s Summit.
Our fourth Alexander Technique online Summit is being organized now, and details will be posted soon.

To get information on the upcoming Summit and other news from ATTGP, click here >>

To get information on next year’s Summit and other news from ATTGP, click here >>

Learn more:

Do any of the following sound familiar?

- - - “I’m tense all the time.”
    - “I want to feel calmer.”
    - “I’m worried about my posture.”
    - “I get so stiff.”
    - “Working at the computer exhausts me.”

Discover what fuels your stiffness, feeds your anxiety, creates that hurry mode, and wears you out.

The versatility of the Alexander Technique (AT) addresses all this and more.

With the Alexander Technique you can reclaim your natural coordination, and learn how to coach yourself to be more present, connected and comfortable in your own skin.

Alexander Technique offers you resilience in mind and body, deep connection with yourself, others and the world, and a community of like-minded people.

Join us for our third annual international AT Online Summit. During this week-long event our teachers will share their expertise in both introductory classes, and in workshops and events on a variety of topics and applications.

All for FREE.

Attend one session, attend them all. It’s totally up to you!

Curious to learn more?

To get information on next year’s Summit and other news from ATTGP, click here >>

Meet our presenters and see our full schedule of events below.

The Week-Long Summit includes:

Daily Guided Constructive Rest Sessions
Each day one of our ATTGP teachers will lead a guided Constructive Rest session. Constructive Rest is a way of lying down in a semi-supine position (typically on the back with the knees elevated) that promotes good spinal alignment and release of excess tension. It is also known as “Active Rest,” “Semi-Supine” or simply an “Alexander Lie Down.” These sessions provide a simple yet powerful way to find balance, ease, and alertness, offering participants a time of rest, thoughtful awareness, and insights into your body’s amazing design.

Three Additional Events Each Day
Our unique line up of live online classes, workshops and presentations are being lead by our Alexander Technique teachers at ATTGP on a variety of topics, from pain and posture, to speaking, mindfulness, breathing and much more. It’s a chance to learn from different teachers with different styles and areas of expertise. Whatever your interest, whether you are brand new to AT, are coming back to it after a while, or have studied for years, there’s something for everyone!

SUMMIT SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Note: All times are US Eastern Time. All sessions are conducted live in real time!
Use this Time Zone Converter to find your time.

Monday, October 10, 2022

Guided Constructive Rest

with Ariel Weiss
Monday, 10:00 – 10:30 AM

Ariel Weiss is an ATI certified teacher who has been teaching regionally, nationally and internationally since 1988. Her TEDx talk Posture Myth-Busting can be found here. Ariel enjoys teaching students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and offers 4 classes a week online plus two online courses in addition to her in-person offerings. Ariel teaches at Curtis Institute of Music, Temple University, Crosslands retirement community, and for the Barstow Institute. She formerly trained teachers at The Philadelphia School for the Alexander Technique, and taught at the University of the Arts, Allentown College, Pig Iron School and for AT training programs in Canada and Japan. More info at atphila.com.

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Choosing to Go with Your Inner Flow

with Anne Johnson
Monday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM

We begin this workshop tuning our awareness to the connections within us and around us. From this we access a natural expansive flow and resilience that we can use to navigate life circumstances. Valuing and allowing these connections to be present in the moment can help us choose new responses to old challenges. During the workshop, Anne will provide images that stimulate various reactions in our body and mind so that we can begin to identify their quality and flow pattern. Could our awareness of these reactions and our choice to stay open and connected assist us when we venture into unfamiliar territory?

Anne Johnson has been teaching the Alexander Technique for 25 years. She teaches individuals and groups in her Philadelphia studio and on zoom, as well as at the Mt Airy Learning Tree, a community education organization in Philadelphia. She has taught at the Boyer College of Music at Temple University for 15 years. Anne finds pleasure in sharing this rich body of work with people of all ages, skill levels and diverse backgrounds. She views our current world situation as an opportunity to help people across the globe access the benefits of this work via the internet. More info at alexandertechphiladelphia.com.

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The Magic Pause

The 5-second technique that is the single most powerful, easy-to-implement, and sure-fire method for instant relief from excess muscle tightness and tension

with Joseph Arnold
Monday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

The “Magic Pause” will allow you to reliably and quickly relieve muscle tension and strain so you can get back to doing the things you love. It’s easy to learn and you can use it to be able to sit more comfortably at the computer, play music more freely, or feel better when you exercise. In this class, you will learn the Magic Pause and how to apply it to many different activities.

Joseph Arnold is a violinist, composer, Alexander Technique teacher, and author from Philadelphia, PA. He writes and plays in a wide variety of styles, including classical, jazz, fiddle, and the blues. Joseph is the director of the Soulforce Arts Academy, teaches musicians how to play with less pain and more freedom, and will soon release his first book, Soulforce Arts: The Vital New Role for Musicians and Artists in a World That’s Lost Its Mind.
More info at JosephArnold.com

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An Alexander Singing Lesson

with Kathryn Armour
Monday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

This exploration will look especially at the use of the jaw and the tongue. These are designed primarily for eating and swallowing, that is, for survival. But these structures must be used in completely different ways in speech and song. Few voice users are mindful of this shift. Broadway singers tend to chew their text, and classical singers often sacrifice the text for the sound. Please be ready for this class with a glass of water, some Kleenex, and if possible a ½-inch disc of either wine cork or baby carrot, or a pencil.

Kathryn Armour received an MA from the University of Chicago and then trained as a classical singer in Italy and New York. She has performance credits in cabaret, oratorio, Broadway and concert repertoire and has performed many operatic roles. She taught vocal technique at New York University (Tisch) for 17 years. Kathryn was certified as an Alexander teacher by ATI in 2004. She has been the AT and Voice teacher to the Fiasco Theater Company in NYC since 2011. She coached the company in two Sondheim revivals produced for Broadway by Roundabout Theatre Company. The Kathryn Armour Studio is located in mid-town Manhattan. Her second studio is in her home in Wilmington, DE. Kathryn offers AT/Voice intensives in late June at Lake Como, Italy. She has presented her work at the international Alexander Congresses in Limerick, Chicago, and most recently in Berlin. More info at KathrynArmourStudio.com

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Finding Support

with Brooke Lieb
Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Support comes in many forms. In this session, we will explore structural and physical support at the interface between you and whatever is supporting you (floor, ground, chair, etc.) as well as the physiological and emotional forms of support and how Alexander Technique can help you identify and access this level of support.

Brooke Lieb works with people from all walks of life in her Alexander Technique practice, customizing her approach to address the unique needs and interests of each person. Brooke served as Director of the Teacher Certification Program – TCP (2008 – 2018) at The American Center for the Alexander Technique, which ran the nation’s first and leading Teacher Certification Program from 1967 to 2018. She received her certification in 1989, joined the faculty in 1992, and served as Associate Director of Training at ACAT from 2006 to 2008. More info at: brookelieb.com.

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Guided Constructive Rest

with Imogen Ragone
Tuesday, 2:30 – 3:00 PM

Imogen Ragone has been a nationally certified teacher of the Alexander Technique since 2006. She has developed her own unique approach called BodyIntelligence, which integrates mindfulness, posture and self-care, to give her clients practical strategies to relieve and prevent stress and tension. Recently her work has become more trauma-informed, and her approach has been particularly beneficial to clients suffering from emotional stress and even trauma.
More info at imogenragone.com.

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Alexander Technique, Neurobiology, and Trauma

with Imogen Ragone
Tuesday, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

For this presentation Imogen will be joined by her long-time client, trauma survivor and trauma awareness activist Shay Seaborne. As Shay studied neurobiology and neuroscience to help her understand and resolve PTSD, she increasingly understood that the Alexander Technique (AT) provides a very neuropositive approach and practice. Over the past year Shay and Imogen have started collaborating to offer workshops and courses for people dealing with trauma or chronic stress, combining Shay’s experience as a trauma survivor and her understanding of the neuroscience relating to trauma with the practical, mindful tools and concepts from Imogen’s BodyIntelligence work. BodyIntelligence is founded in the principles of the Alexander Technique. In this presentation we will discuss the ways AT can be helpful for trauma survivors, as well as anyone who is ever stressed (!), and share a simple practice we teach to help people regulate their nervous system.

Imogen Ragone has been a nationally certified Alexander Technique teacher for 17 years, and a student of the Technique for over 20. She initially came to Alexander Technique to help her with chronic neck and shoulder pain and tension. It did – and gave her much more than she ever imagined. Imogen has now developed her own unique approach, BodyIntelligence, that offers a path to embodied mindfulness that is gentle and non-coercive. This means it is more accessible and effective when you are feeling stressed, and makes it especially valuable to traumatized people. Imogen has been successfully working with clients online, both individually and in groups, since 2014. More info at imogenragone.com.

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How to Turn Harmful Habits into Helpful Habits

with Andrea Bruno
Tuesday, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

Seeing common examples of posturing and collapse helps people identify their own possibly harmful habits. Learn to understand the mechanism behind the Alexander Technique that allows you to create habits that are helpful and not harmful to your physical and mental existence.

Andrea Bruno has been an Alexander Technique teacher since 2011. She is part of an Integrative Medicine Team at a Veterans Association in New Jersey helping Veterans and VA Employees to live with less pain. Andrea teaches in person and virtually. For Andrea personally the Alexander Technique has been a life changer. It has taught her a way to think in her body that has integrated into all aspects of her life from sport activities to relationships with family and friends. More info at empoweringdirections.com.

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Diving into the Deep: Exploring FM’s Sequence of Directional Thinking

with Meade Andrews
Wednesday, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Via specific movement explorations, we will look at FM Alexander’s three core “directions” (“I wish my neck to be free, to let my head move forward and up, so that my back may lengthen and widen.”). In addition, we will focus on other ways in which his original directions have been explored and expanded over the years. For example, the Israeli words for directional thinking: “Back Back, Heels Down, Point Up.” We will also explore the deepening of FM’s directions from the perspective of other movement studies, such as Laban Movement Analysis. Space, time, and movement unite and intertwine within his core directions.

Meade Andrews is an internationally recognized senior teacher of the Alexander Technique. She is a certified member of AmSAT, ACAT, and ATI. She is also a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov Technique, and has taught Movement for Actors to students and professionals, while serving as a movement coach for productions at Rider University and the Westminster Choir College. With Jana Tift, she has written a book focusing on movement for actors: Your Body Knows: A Movement Guide for Actors (Routledge). More info at meadeandrews.net.

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Guided Constructive Rest

with Jano Cohen
Wednesday, 11:00 – 11:30 AM

Jano Cohen teaches private lessons, classes and workshops in the Alexander Technique (AT) in the greater Philadelphia area. Certified as a teacher by the Alexander Foundation (now called The Philadelphia School of the Alexander Technique) in 1990, she is a teaching and founding member of Alexander Technique International. She is also a member of Alexander Technique Teachers of Greater Philadelphia. Jano has worked with students of all ages and occupations. She has lots of experience working with performers, athletes and people with various health issues including arthritis, injuries and accidents, surgeries, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, thoracic outlet syndrome, TMJ, and carpal tunnel syndrome as well as patients referred by therapists suffering from histories of trauma. Jano also offers classes and private lessons in the short yang form of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and is a long-term student of Maggie Newman, who is a senior student of Ch’eng Man Ch’ing. More info at alexandertechnique-teacher.com.

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Moving from Your Joints for Less Pain: Exploring the Positions of Mechanical Advantage

with Diane Sussman
Wednesday, 12:00 – 1:15 PM

For beginning Alexander students and advanced alike, it is valuable to have a “good” body map, one from which movement takes place. We will explore the all-important joints of the spine, as well as the other four major joints of the body: head/neck joint, hip joints, knee joints, and ankle joints. We will play with some formal Alexander Technique movement processes to explore the body/mind mentally and kinesthetically in a way that informs our awareness in action, and which is always available to us. The benefits are less pain in movement, and more grace and freedom in our ordinary activities of life. This is a 60- minute class, with Q and A afterward.

Diane Sussman is pleased to have been introduced to the Alexander Technique back in 1982, and has been informed by her study and certification ever since. She has taught workshops throughout the New York/New Jersey area, taught as a trainer of teachers at The American Center for the Alexander Technique in NYC for 23 years, held a position in the Music Department at Sony Brook University, NY for 10 years, and now makes her home in Philadelphia, where she teaches private students both on zoom and at her home in the Art Museum Area. Diane is also a Pilates and Yoga teacher, and a Wellness Coach. More info at bodymindbalance.net.

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3 Tips to Save Your Neck at the Computer

with Ariel Weiss
Wednesday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

Does your neck ache when you sit at your computer? Many of us have been spending increasingly more time in front of screens for both work and social activities – and our necks are often suffering! Luckily, there are some simple tips and tricks that can help you feel more comfortable so that you can work more efficiently, socialize more enjoyably and save your neck!

Ariel Weiss is an ATI certified teacher who has been teaching regionally, nationally and internationally since 1988. Her TEDx talk Posture Myth-Busting can be found here. Ariel enjoys teaching students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and offers 4 classes a week online plus two online courses in addition to her in-person offerings. Ariel teaches at Curtis Institute of Music, Temple University, Crosslands retirement community, and for the Barstow Institute. She formerly trained teachers at The Philadelphia School for the Alexander Technique, and taught at the University of the Arts, Allentown College, Pig Iron School and for AT training programs in Canada and Japan. More info at atphila.com.

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Guided Constructive Rest

with Heather Gardner
Thursday, 11:00 – 11:30 AM

Heather Gardner is an Alexander Technique Teacher and musician living, working and teaching in the Philadelphia and New York City areas. She specializes in singing 20th and 21st century works though she is equally comfortable singing Brahms, Mozart or Bach. She holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from Rutgers University and a Bachelor’s degree in viola performance from the Eastman School of Music, where she also studied violin and voice. Heather teaches AT, singing and violin out of her West Philly studio. More info at: www.heathergardnerstudio.com

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Your Body is a Refuge

with Amy Ward Brimmer
Thursday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Are you at home in your body? Many people view their bodies as an ongoing problem, something to be managed, controlled, or even conquered. It’s true that taking Alexander lessons can improve things like posture, energy, and pain, yet what this work really teaches is a new way to relate to your physical self. This class will explore how your body is a resource for support, a refuge you can rely on no matter what might be happening. Rather than being a problem to be solved, discover how present moment embodiment creates freedom of choice and more ease in daily living.

Amy Ward Brimmer, M.A. has been investigating mindfulness and self-expression since childhood. She is the owner of Way Opens Wellness in Yardley, PA, where she offers Alexander Technique, Somatic Release bodywork, Qigong, Compassionate Listening, and Insight meditation instruction. She is a certified teaching member of Alexander Technique International. Amy created Way Opens to bring together people interested in learning and teaching body-mind methods of awakening. She has taught at Yale, Villanova, Brooklyn College, and along the banks of the Delaware Canal, among many other places. More info at: wayopenswellness.com

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Why We Do Constructive Rest

with Meade Andrews
Thursday, 4:00 – 4:45 PM

Join Meade in this special workshop on Constructive Rest. Also known as Active Rest, Semi Supine, or just an Alexander Lie Down, it provides a simple yet powerful way to find balance, ease, and alertness, offering both a time of rest, thoughtful awareness, and insights into your body’s amazing design. In this workshop there will be time to answer your questions about it, take a quick look into its background, as well as experience Constructive Rest itself guided by Meade. This short workshop is in addition to our daily Constructive Rest sessions, and is a chance to learn a little more about it.

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Soulforce Arts: The Vital New Role for Musicians and Artists in a World That’s Lost Its Mind

with Joseph Arnold
Thursday, 7:30 – 8:30 PM

What can musicians and artists do about climate change? At first glance, there is no obvious link, and this can cause a sense of despair for those of us who want to make a difference. But musicians and artists DO have a vital role to play in global problems like climate change, and it all has to do with embodying Soulforce — a quality of inspired aliveness and expressive power — in how you perform, practice, and teach. You will leave this workshop feeling inspired and empowered about what you can do to make a difference in a world that’s lost its mind.

Friday, October 14, 2022

Your Embodied Voice: For Singers, Speakers, and Everyone Who Uses Their Voice

with Heather Gardner
Friday, 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Discover more ease and flexibility with your voice! In this workshop we will explore and map where our voices are in our bodies and how we can use the voice and breath to develop greater clarity of expression and energetic flow when we speak or sing. Whether you are a singer, actor, teacher or someone who just talks every day, this workshop is for all kinds of voice users.

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Exploring Mindfulness with the Alexander Technique as Your Anchor

with Diane Sussman
Friday, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

It is often said that meditation can be challenging because of all the thoughts in our mind. When we begin our practice with a gentle guided embodiment practice of the body and the breath, the ability to come to a more calm and spacious sense of being can become easier. As we become more settled, grounded, and aware within ourselves, our sense of time relaxes and the added qualities that bring a greater sense of presence and well-being are enhanced. This is a 45-minute class, with time for questions at the end.

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Guided Constructive Rest

with Anne Johnson
Friday, 5:00 – 5:30 PM

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Playing with Joints – Adventures in Space

with Jano Cohen
Friday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

With so many hours of Zoom, sedentary lifestyles, and restrictions from injuries, we need more movement in our lives! Let’s use a bit of our skeletal knowledge and awareness of primary control (aka primary movement, whole body coordination) to initiate movement with specific joints in a gentle, fun way. The concept of moving into the space all around us, with an awareness of the ground and the sky will be introduced. No previous dance experience is necessary, but the movements will be a bit dance-like. I will review some basic skeletal anatomy as we go along, and demonstrate some movements. Then you will be invited to do what I did, or make up your own movements. We will repeat that pattern with all different parts of our bodies. You cannot do this wrong. It will be your own experience that counts.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Guided Constructive Rest

with Mary McCann
Saturday, 10:30 – 11:00 AM

Mary McCann is a Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique. She has presented master classes at Harvard University, Bryn Mawr College, DeSales University, Wilma Theater, Pennsylvania Hospital, and many other institutions. Her background is in theatre and the performing arts. More info at explorealexander.com.

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What’s Next? Moving Forward with Grace and Ease – Your New AT Adventure!

with Mary McCann
Saturday, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Thank you for joining us for a week of Connection, Resilience, and Community! Do you have more questions? Are you wondering how to practice AT awareness and ease in your daily life? Please join Mary to explore FREE tips, hints and resources for your exciting journey with the Alexander Technique! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

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Integrated Strength with Ease: Alexander Technique for High-Intensity Athletes

with KC Chun
Saturday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

As a lifelong enthusiast for high-intensity sports like gymnastics, dance, and most recently, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, KC will begin the session sharing how the Alexander Technique has influenced both her personal and teaching practice since her certification as an AT teacher 18 years ago. The session will then lead the students through some guided exercises that have been formative and helpful for both her and her students. As a career performer who needed her body to be strong, explosive, dynamic, and resilient, this session will explore some of ways to think about and embody ideas about strength and ease as cooperative, co-existent, and in partnership to each other.

Kristen (KC) Chun is a movement educator, somatic practitioner, dance-maker, and arts administrator. She has taught contemporary dance technique, dance science and somatics, Alexander Technique, and composition on the faculties of Temple University, Pig Iron School/UArts, Drexel University, and Bryn Mawr College, and most recently as a guest teaching artist at Franklin & Marshall and Wilson College. As a gymnast and coach for 20 years, dancer for 25 years, and a year long student in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, she has a long history of balancing strength building and high-intensity training with thinking about ease, efficiency, and integration. More info at: onebodyintegrated.org

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Living in Balance: Alexander Technique for Seniors

with Ariel Weiss
Saturday, 5:00 – 6:00 PM

Learn to stand and walk with greater poise and confidence with this introductory workshop. Together we will explore the centers of balance and how we can navigate our balance in a variety of situations. Whether you use a walker, cane or want to improve your agility on the pickleball court – this workshop is for you!

You must register for the Summit to get access to the classes.
You may attend as many as you wish!

To get information on next year’s Summit and other news from ATTGP, click here >>

Learn more about ATTGP at: alextechgreaterphila.com