Category: AT in the news

Tom Koch AT in the news, Performing Arts

The perfect voice of Alan Rickman

The “perfect voice” of Alan Rickman was immediately recognizable but will not be heard live again. Rickman died yesterday from cancer at the age of 69.

Alan Rickman Embodied an Imperfect Character with a “Perfect Voice”

Rickman has spoken of how he used the Alexander Technique — pioneered by Shakespearean orator Frederick Matthias Alexander in the late 1800s — to create a “balanced sense of tension rather than relying on creating tension to do something in order to produce a sound or an act that is preconceived.”

Rest in peace, Mr. Rickman. At least we can still hear you in film.

Tom Koch AT in the news, Pain and injury, Scientific research

Acupuncture and Alexander Technique may improve neck pain

The results of a new study on chronic neck pain (more than 3 months) has just been published. The short version: both Alexander Technique and acupuncture decreased pain by about 30% even after 1 year, which is significantly better than standard medical care which included prescription pain medication, doctors visits and physical therapy. The subjects who took lessons in Alexander Technique took on average only 14 lessons, less than the recommended 20.

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The full study is published at the Annals of Internal Medicine from the American College of Physicians but is protected by a paywall: http://ift.tt/1WvLtXf
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Tom Koch AT in the news

From Law Partner to Alexander Technique Teacher

Bloomberg News is not exactly the first place I would expect to see a video featuring an interview with an Alexander Technique teacher, but here it is!

Stealth Lawyer: Karen Krueger, Alexander Technique Instructor

I noticed that Krueger trained at the same school I did, the American Center for the Alexander Technique, or ACAT as we call it. And that means she was trained by my former classmates who now are the head teachers at the school.

Tom Koch AT in pop culture, AT in the news

OK! Magazine on A-list students of Alexander Technique

The current issue of OK! magazine has another article about Alexander Technique, this one focused on the A-list celebraties who use it. Madonna, Hilary Swank, Hugh Jackman, Richard Gere, Joanna Lumley, Sir Paul McCartney, William Hurt, Pierce Brosnan, Sting, Julia Sawalha, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax, John Cleese, Robin Williams… the list goes on and on.

Click the picture for a larger view.
OK! on AT

Tom Koch AT in the news, Scientific research

Alexander Technique shown to improve surgeons’ skills

""Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center reports that the Alexander Technique improved the surgical posture and technical performance of urological surgeons:

For their study with urological surgeons, the researchers studied four urology fellows and three urology residents from the medical center. After training in the Alexander Technique, the subjects demonstrated improved abilities to complete laparoscopic skills in a shorter time. The subjects showed improvements in posture, trunk and shoulder stability and the ability to perform the series of laparoscopic skills tests.

“The Alexander Technique training program resulted in significant improvement in posture and trunk and shoulder endurance,” the researchers state in their presentation. “Improved endurance and posture during surgery reduces the occurrence of surgical fatigue. Intra-operative fatigue has been shown to be associated with surgical errors. AT training has the potential to reduce the occurrence of fatigue-related surgical errors.”