The AT is a self-help method that teaches how to change habits of thought and action so that a more effective coordination can be established. With the practice of this technique you will gain experience in knowing how to stop habitual patterns of co-contractions that tend to create a harmful use of ourselves.
‘Stopping’ is the first step to improve our habitual way of action and reaction so that our movement is easier and gentler. When you ‘stop’ you need stillness and be in the moment in order to expand your attention to the subtle things that we do in preparation to act. You can observe how the idea of doing something triggers the habitual pattern of posture and movement, and then consciously intervene by refraining those habits. The idea of doing something is not any longer the driving force that will determine how to perform the action. Now that the chain of events is broken there is more space for freedom in movement, there is a choice. We can take other small steps that secure the success of the action instead of acting blindly towards our goals.
The second step is the mental projection of the plan of action, or ‘directions’, to encourage a refinement in the postural support, the dynamic regulation of postural tone and attention, while keeping in check the first step, the prevention of the harmful habits. When this two steps have linked, other plans of actions will be added depending on the activity at hand. Then the performance of the act is carried out while keeping the projection of the directions.
This process is shown through the hands of the teacher so that a new experience of your use is provided. You learn from that experience, without help it would not be possible to gain the required changes by yourself because your perception will impede it as it would feel wrong or impossible at first. Our perception is conditioned by how we normally are, our postural habits. The advantage is that our brain is adaptable and learn new schemas of our body. Although our body schema is vulnerable to unhealthy postures, movement patterns, and reactions, it is also able to learn new patterns and improve its accuracy.
The experience from the hands of the teachers change physically how you are, your posture and movement. These gradual physical changes will refine the coordination and the kinesthesia perception over time. You will be able to bring and maintain those changes by yourself. This is a skill that you learn and not a therapy. The health benefits are almost a secondary effect of the improvement of your posture and movement.
Hello. I’m Marietta Simarro. I was an accountant, although at the same time I was chasing the dream of becoming an actress when I came across the Alexander Technique. The Alexander Technique turned to be such an essential tool to perform drama that I decided to become a teacher to grasp its full potential. Soon the tool to pursued my dream became the dream itself.
I’ve started in 2003 by having private lessons weekly for two years with Rafa Navarro in Madrid. I was training as an actress in Teatro Guindalera and obtained my diploma in 2005. Then I trained as an Alexander Teacher in London at the Constructive Teaching Centre (CTC), Walter and Dilys Carrington’s school, with excellent teachers: Dilys Carrington, Ruth Murray, Alan Philips, Beryl Tollady and John Brown, among others. It is an STAT-approved Teacher Training Course. The training course consists on 3 years, full time (5 days a week, 3 hours per day), 1,600 hours in total, mostly practical with a great number of teachers per student with plenty of individual work.
After I graduated in 2009, I did a teaching term at CTC, and worked at LAMDA and ArtsED. In 2010 I returned to my birth place, Madrid, and completed a 1,000 hours postgraduate with Andrea Beesley. I continued learning by visiting yearly CTC and having lessons with senior teachers: Elisabeth Walker, Paul Berge, Thomas Pope, John Nicholls, among others, and regularly with Simon Fitzgibbon. I also usually assist to continuing learning workshops run by Ted Dimon and Steven Shaw among others at the International Alexander Technique Congresses.
I run two seminaries for the official Madrid centre for the training of teachers CTIF (Territorial Centre of Innovation and Training, Comunidad de Madrid), “The Alexander Technique applied to teaching at the conservatoire classroom” (12 hours each) for music teachers at Amaniel, Professional Conservatoire of Music in Madrid, in the courses of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. I run my private practice and worked at Simon Fitzgibbon’s school, El Mono y el Madroño, between 2011-2015.
I moved to Sydney in 2016 and since then I work as the main assistant in Simon Fitzgibbon’s school, City Sydney Alexander Technique, and maintain a private practice in Darlinghurst.
I am a member of ATE, Alexander Technique Education association and AUSTAT, the Australian association of Alexander Technique Teachers.
HOW IS A LESSON?
The lesson may start with either chair work or table work. Table work consist on lying down on a table with books under the head and the knees pointing to the ceiling, while the teacher works very gently moving the legs, arms and head. Chair work consists on exploring the dynamic positions when sitting and standing. We exercise the spine through gentle movements with less co-contraccions, better balance, more freedom, and lightness. We use positions that have a mechanical advantage, more ergonomic, to deal with the pull of the force of gravity. Because sitting in a chair is an activity that we practice everyday, both as a resting position and as an active position when we do other things, you can put into practice what you learn from the first lesson.
WHAT DO I NEED TO WEAR?
Comfortable clothes when possible, and please bring extra socks.
HOW MANY LESSONS?
You don’t need to commit to any number of lessons. It is recommended a minimum of 20 lessons, but it is up to you. People enjoy having lessons for years because they keep learning and improving. It depends on their own goals.
HOW OFTEN?
It is recommended when possible to have three lessons per week the first two months, and then reduce it to one per week. As people are normally very busy even with just one lesson per week has an steady improvement in the student. Less than that it is also worth it.
One-to-one lessons is the best way to learn, no matter what your level is or how much experience you have.
Introductory workshops can be provided either for the general public or for specific groups: musicians, actors, singers, etc.
Small groups of two or three people are available for trainees and teachers that want to practice hands-on work.
Only as an exception, when someone has serious mobility problems can be arranged.
My teaching is in the tradition of F.M. Alexander’s teacher training course (1931-1955), which was continued by Walter Carrington and others (Peggy Williams and Irene Stewart) when F.M. died in 1955, and the school was named Constructive Teaching Centre in 1960. Walter Carrington was qualified in 1939 and continue to work at FM’s school until 1955. I trained in that school and all the remarkable teachers that has had an impact on my teaching come from that school directly or indirectly: Andrea Beesley, Simon Fitzgibbon, John Brown, Ruth Murray, Alan Philps, Chris Sargent, among others.
Per lesson
Per lesson
Per 10 lessons
Open Mondays to Saturdays. Flexible hours.
At the heart of Sydney, close to the CBD, Hyde Park and the Australian Museum.
Unit 3, 11-17 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst 2010
