I took Annie’s Alexander Technique workshops and I’m amazed how good it made me feel. I have a bad back and have been looking for an effective way to address my poor posture. Annie is hugely experienced and understood my needs straight away. Her tuition was really easy to follow and made this subtle and slightly confusing system really clear. She’s fun and friendly which helped a lot, and because her workshop group is small she gave individual attention all the time. Result? My posture, and therefore back, is a lot, lot, better. Thank you Annie.
KL
I looked around for an Alexander Technique teacher and I’m so glad I chose Annie. In my individual Alexander Technique sessions she has the knack of instinctively knowing what knowledge I need, providing it in a gentle, warm and unhurried way. I attended three terms of Annie’s Alexander Technique workshops because of how much I enjoy them and how much better I feel because of them.
CH
Fifteen years ago (at the age of 60) I was advised by an eminent organist/teacher/examiner to seek professional help with my “muscular tension which was hindering me from performing to my potential” – that is too many splodges! There followed 6 years of regular (then less regular) Alexander Technique lessons with a teacher in central Leeds. These proved to be enjoyable and always left me with new ideas and things to try. These ideas were, over time, to help with the musical bits above. They also, at an early stage, enabled me to lighten the mundane but frequent actions such as getting up from a chair, from a kneeling position (good for gardeners!) etc.
During the years after these lessons I continued to apply the principle of Alexander Technique to my daily life, also to read books on the Technique generally and one in particular which linked instrumental practice and performance to the Alexander Technique.
In March 2012 I enrolled with Annie Whitehead for a series of “top up” lessons, hoping to follow up and develop these ideas further. I found she quickly sussed out where I was and took things from there. The fact that she is not a musician did not matter – she was still able to spot the points of stress and help deal with them. I emerged at the other end of the lessons with, as hoped, more food for thought and action.
I wish I had “found” the Alexander Technique 60 years ago!
TP
Workshop participant
The first week was an excellent introduction and so enjoying this. I’ve done it previously, but this is helping me to reintegrate it back into my life and I’m getting more from it this time round. After a few sessions I’m noticing that I’m being more careful with my body at home. Annie is excellent at adapting things so if we can’t manage something as it’s done normally, we can get still get the benefit. I think it is due to Annie’s excellent teaching and also because it’s such a small group that we get so much attention. Plus the one to one session I had was fabulous.
DB