Alexander Technique Day

A Tuning the Air Journal

Saturday June 12, 2010 – Alexander Technique Day

An embarrassment of riches. We had not 1, not 2, but 3 AT teachers on board to help us out today. Frank Sheldon, of course. Sandra Bain Cushman is in town this week doing a series of classes. And our pal Teo Hannum, who we haven’t seen for some time, was along as well.

Sandra took the first hour, working largely with us without guitars. Some boomwhacker circulations in the circle, and a number of exercises that, among other uses, helped us to respond to circulations and, especially, The Whizz, without our usual startle and other unnecessary physicalizations. The first hour ended with some walking whizzes… with one oboe involved!

After a break, Frank worked with us, continuing the theme of “the breath” and focusing on the distinction between reacting and responding. For this we worked entirely in the circle, with guitars (and oboe). Simple circulations and improvisations, in which presence at the “critical moment” was the only aim. On a number of occasions, what the group was creating was so musical that it was very difficult for me to stay with the exercise. Tending to revert to “musician mode” is always a challenge when we are addressing AT with our instruments, and today was more challenging than most. The addition of the oboe, suggested some possibilities for Tuning the Air that were impossible to ignore, and keeping my mind on the business at hand was a constant struggle.

For the final hour, the AT trio of doom put us through a number of very physical exercises, beginning with a variation on Simon Says.

At the end of the workshop, those able stayed for a few minutes to help the next tenant in the Great Hall set up for a piano recital, and then we went our separate ways. It was an incredible spring day in Seattle, and the Music Lab was “called on account of sun.”