Dance and the Alexander Technique

by Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, Luc Vanier

Overview

 

In Dance and the Alexander Technique, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol and Luc Vanier utilize their ten years of research on developmental movement and dance training to explore the relationship between a specific movement technique and the basic principles of support and coordination. The Alexander Technique, developed in the early twentieth century by F. M. Alexander, can be used to enhance dexterity in all types of activities, from everyday actions as mundane as tooth-brushing to highly demanding dance movements. Applying the tenets of this technique through the lens of a specific subset of principles called the Dart Procedures, the authors offer a unique approach for using the Alexander Technique in dance and other activities. The principles of this technique are used by people in all walks of life and have proven to be effective for enhancing performance and improving overall health and well-being.

 

Amply illustrated and supplemented with a DVD that demonstrates the concepts and applications of the Alexander Technique, this book will be highly instrumental for dancers, teachers of dance, and anyone interested in giving everyday movements more efficiency, dexterity, and elegance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780252036019
Publisher:	University of Illinois Press
Publication date:	06/16/2011
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Rebecca Nettl-Fiol is an associate professor of dance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and coeditor of The Body Eclectic: Evolving Practices in Dance Training. Luc Vanier is an associate professor in the dance department at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's Peck School of the Arts and a dance choreographer

Table of Contents

Credits   ix
Preface   xi
Acknowledgments   xvii

Part One: Groundwork: Dance, Alexander Technique, and Dart Procedures   1
Introduction to Part One   3
1. Assumptions and Foundations   9
2. Alexander Technique: Overview and Basic Principles   17
3. The Dart Procedures: Overview and Key Concepts   27

Part Two: From Crawling to Leaping: Dart Procedures Applied to Dance Training   41
Introduction to Part Two   43
4. Primary and Secondary Curves: Looking at Movement through a New Lens   45
5. Spirals for Connectivity and Lengthening   57
6. Discovering the Resiliency of the System   71

Part Three: The Right Thing Does Itself- Alexander Principles Applied to Dance Training   83
Introduction to Part Three   85
7. The Whole Self   87
8. Becoming Aware of Habit   95
9. Head First: Facilitating Coordination   103
10. Allowing versus Doing   111
11. Releasing the Catch: Direction   117

Part Four: Applications to Dance Movements   129
Introduction to Part Four   131
12. Applications to Ballet   133
13. Applications to Contemporary Modern Dance Technique   149
14. Applications for Teachers: Correction with Direction   165

Epilogue   177
Bibliography   181
DVD Contents   185
Index   187

Editorial Reviews

"So few other books offer practical guidance or outline experiential practices that help dancers understand how to apply the Alexander Technique, the art and science of embodied living. Nettl-Fiol and Vanier eloquently and clearly help readers learn how to access their bodily sensations and utilize them to organize efficient, easy, and elegant movement."—Glenna Batson, associate professor of physical therapy at Winston-Salem State University



"An articulate and accessible in-depth synthesis of the Alexander Technique and traditional dance training. With clear, intriguing, and insightful writing, the authors demonstrate a depth of knowledge in somatic practice theory."—Kathryn Daniels, Chair, Dance Department at Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle


“This is a valuable book for the dance industry. While the book contains a considerable wealth of information, the writing is clear and the exercises are easy to follow. It would be possible to use exercises directly from the book or DVD. . . . Dancers will benefit from owning this book, but it will be most valuable in the hands of dance teachers, who can pass on the information through experiential workshop sessions to their students.”—Research in Dance Education

From the Publisher