The Alexander Technique of Syracuse

Kathryn Miranda

Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique

Gina, a twenty-something soprano, began taking my Alexander Tech 2 class

at Mannes in the fall of 2002.  She had not been in my Alexander 1 class so I

did not know here very well.  Over the course of the year, as my experience

with her as grown, I have come to know Gina as extremely committed to

learning her craft, very open to addressing habits, a bit reserved in personality,

at least with people she doesn’t know very well and ‘holding a  beautiful vocal

instrument’ with an enormous about of body tension.

Through the striated layers of tension, I see a deep well of being that says to

me, “yes, I am here intelligent and whole, genuine and real, full of a yearning

to learn and grow.”  When I look into her eyes I see the physical expression

of her need to release that physical tension.  Through her classes in Alexander, I believe she has come to understand that her journey towards wholeness and freedom begins with awareness and experience.

In her final paper, she wrote of her “unuse” instead of misuse.  She recognizes that she has areas with very little awareness.  Through our guided movement experiments in class she says she began to wake them up and wonders if that’s from more oxygen.

When it comes to the breathing work, I think Gina’s timing with me couldn’t have been better.  From the get-go, I began incorporating the principles of breathing coordination in all my Mannes classes.  I described the coordination of all the parts, we felt and observed on each other.  I guided the group through some extended exhalations.  We talked about the benefits and our observations.  I worked one on one with the activities of using the voice.  Others watched and took in the changes that were happening.

Because of Gina’s vocal training, the movements associated with breathing and speaking and singing were so much more accessible to her.  I think this was the foundation that led her away from thinking about Alex Tech as posture education.  She began to experience the principles in breathing and sounding and then she could apply inhibition and direction to other areas of her body where she holds tension and immobility.

In her final paper she writes, “Overall, the center of my inhibition is how I breathe which is why our whispered ahs and exercises that included using the voice have been so important in my discoveries.  I have many entrenched habits with a mindset that stores much negativity and adjudication especially when I do not find the answer to whatever problem I may be facing.  I am definitely a first cousin to end-gaining.  This has been part of the reason why I need to unlearn and re-train ideas of movement which has interfered with my overall freedom.”

Over the course of a year, Gina had approximately 24 small group classes with me.  I think most of her progress has been in addressing her mental habits and I don’t think we would have been able to address them as successfully without the attention to breathing coordination.  I know she is so much more aware of when she is holding her breath and when it is labored, etc.  I think she recognizes how often those physical habits are associated with end-gaining, judging and other tensing ways of thinking.  If she continues in this way I know the arms will begin to relax and drop, and her legs will do half the amount of work they do.

Case Study in the Art of Breathing

by Kathryn Miranda

May 27, 2003

Alexander Technique of Syracuse, Kathryn Miranda Director, kmmiranda@twcny.rr.com, 315-412-4829