Introduction to the Alexander Technique: A Practical Guide for Actors

Description

Introduction to the Alexander Technique, part of the brand-new Acting Essentials series, is the first textbook about the Alexander Technique written specially for undergraduates. This eight-week program can be taught over the course of half a semester, a full semester, or dipped into as needed to address students' issues with physicality, movement, breathing, voice and performance habits. The Alexander Technique has been a vital part of training for performers since the early 20th century. It is a core part of the curriculum at most acting conservatories and in many BFA programs. Sometimes considered purely a movement discipline, the Alexander Technique in fact takes into consideration the entire person-mind, body, voice, emotions, and imagination. Introduction to the Alexander Technique addresses the student's self as a whole and is suitable for beginning acting students in any academic setting, including those who take performance classes as an elective. The book also includes more than 150 practical, easy-to-follow exercises that help students reduce tension and improve their alignment, flexibility, and poise. The textbook is supported by a range of online videos demonstrating key exercises described throughout the book.

Bill Connington is a Lecturer in Acting at the Yale School of Drama, USA. He has taught at the Juilliard School, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, the Mannes School of Music, and the Actors Studio Drama School. He is co-author of The Alexander Technique with the late Judith Leibowitz and the author of Physical Expression on Stage and Screen: Using the Alexander Technique to Create Unforgettable Performances (Methuen Drama, 2014). The former chairman of the board of the American Center for the Alexander Technique, he is also an award-winning actor and playwright. His play Zombie, based on the novella by Joyce Carol Oates, was performed in New York and made into a short film. Most recently, he wrote and acted in two independent films, Love, Repeat and Poughkeepsie Is For Lovers. He is a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. www.billconnington.com