| First published in STATNews, vol. 6 no. 12, January 2004. |
A small, well-produced full-colour booklet introducing the Technique, illustrated by attractive pictures of the author working with students from the Fellside School. The book, one of a series of introductory booklets, is divided into eight colour-coded chapters. Information is presented in a clear and appealing style. Joan Diamond’s approach to describing the Technique appears inconstant. She insists on the pupil’s active participation in lessons with the mind totally involved (page 7). Yet the Technique is introduced as differing in this respect from other “body work therapies” (page 5) and continues with terminology that focuses on therapeutic effects rather than the learning of a selfhelp method: “Soon, Alexander was treating a wide range of patients with many diffdrent conditions” and “Today, the Alexander Technique is widely recognised as a mainstream therapy.” (pages 13, 14)
Of particular interest to teachers, the author speculates on the kind of synchronicity that can take place between teacher and pupil in the Alexander lesson. Under a section titled “State of Communion” (page 36) she introduces the term “harmonic principle” in which she explains how “Alexander made his body and mind into a state of being first, and then invited the pupil to join in.” The result can be a harmonious “flow” comparable to the optimal experience of sports players in “the zone” and performing artists. (See, for instance, the report on rugby playing by Will Hutton in The Observer, 9 October 2003, page 30: “Sometimes, everything falls into place and you surprise yourself with how easy and enjoyable - and therefore successful - it [the activity] has been. You’ve found flow.”)
There are a few factual errors: for instance, George Bernard Shaw invited Alexander to England in 1905 (page 12). According to Jackie Evans’ family history (2001), Alexander sailed for England in April 1904 and Shaw didn’t hear of Alexander until 1936. This and other matters of fact might easily be corrected by peer review at the drafting stage. Unfortunately, the Society’s contact details include the old Camden Mews address.
The booklet goes further in its account than can be achieved in a leaflet, and is more immediate than a full length book. It is very appealing to the eye and should be successful in encouraging readers to explore further.
© Malcolm Williamson. Reproduced with permission.
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This edition © Mouritz 2005. All rights reserved. |
