F.M. Alexander Techniek

Klanten/Leerlingen aan het woord

Nick Barter, Principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London
"Alexander Technique has been a core element in the training of actors at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art since its foundation in 1904. Indeed, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the distinguished actor-manager, who founded the Academy, took lessons from FM Alexander himself.
Since that time the importance of the Technique has been increasingly recognized and all students currently receive two individual lessons each week in the first year and one in the second year.
The Technique is a primary means of supporting both voice and body work in freeing the neck-head relationship, releasing habitual tension and avoiding injury for actors (and more recently stage managers) who are in an intense and often demanding training which requires them to develop flexibility of body, voice and imagination".

Ralph Allwood, Precentor & director of music, Eton College, Windsor
"I introduced Alexander Technique into Uppingham School in 1983, and to Eton College when I arrived there in 1985. All Music Scholars have at least an introduction to the Technique, and many continue with it on a weekly basis for their whole school career. It is totally accepted here that it is a most helpful adjunct to weekly musical tuition, and many a singer and instrumentalist has gained enormous benefits. Nowadays most Specialist Music Schools teach Alexander Technique. At Eton its benefits have now spread to sport and other pursuits as it has become understood, appreciated and accepted by more and more in the community. The Alexander Technique is a wonderful, and often vital, part of a musician's training!

Monique Reget, Zuid Beijerland
"De Alexandertechniek betekent voor mij een voortdurend proces van steeds grotere bewustwording ten aanzien van (spier) spanningspatronen in mijn lichaam. Door het volgen van de lessen met Wendelien ben ik nu in staat om deze patronen sneller te herkennen en te doorbreken, zodat ik daadwerkelijk het gevoel heb dat ik meer contact heb met mijn lichaam.
In de praktijk betekent dit dat mijn rugklachten grotendeels zijn verdwenen en dat ik letterlijk meer bewegingsvrijheid heb gekregen".

Rob Verhoog, Delft
"In 2005 heb ik een hernia -operatie gehad. Al snel begreep ik dat ik anders moest omgaan met mijn lijf om herhaling te voorkomen. Ik ken uit de privé,-sfeer iemand die Alexandertechniek geeft, die bracht me op het idee lessen AT te volgen. Ik ben nu een half jaar onderweg met lessen van Wendelien Verbeek en kan de voordelen inmiddels duidelijk zien. Ik voel nu precies wanneer er spanning in mijn rug is, wat nog leidt tot een lichte uitstralende pijn. Door juiste houding, en doordat ik geleerd heb spieren los te laten kan ik dat zo corrigeren dat die spanning, en daarmee ook de pijn, verdwijnt. Door me bewust te zijn van spanningen in mijn nek en hoofd en deze los te laten heb ik ook geen hoofdpijn meer. Ik ervaar Alexandertechniek als een belangrijke bijdrage aan mijn gezondheid en welbevinden".

Denis Mackay, Den Haag
"For over 12 years now I have suffered from back pain - consulting doctors, physios, chiropractors, accupuncturists, osteopaths etc at a great cost of time and money but to no avail. For just over 6 months I have been practising the Alexander Technique with Wendelien and within 3 weeks I immediately started feeling the benefit. I realised that for so long I had actively been attempting to correct my posture..... without even knowing what good posture is!
Although its difficult to concisely explain what the Alexander Technique is, it is very easy to describe the benefits: improved posture, physique, confidence, concentration and of course pain relief!"

Patrick Maddams, managing director Royal Academy of Music, London
"The Alexander Technique can be sustaining; it is something that if learned well, can be carried along with you for the rest of your life. It gives you confidence to be who you are when you are up in front of an audience"

Joan Bakewell, TV presenter and journalist.
The Alexander Technique makes a real difference to my often tense and busy life. Its thoughtful approach has made me calmer, improved my concentration and given me a clearer sense of my own being. I am grateful for it!

Michael Langham, Director of the Juilliard School, New York, USA
"Alexander students rid themselves of bad postural habits and are helped to reach with their bodies and minds and enviable degree of freedom of expression".

Deirdre Dowling, musician, Royal Conservatoire, The Hague
"Having regular Alexander Technique lessons with Wendelien while completing my Masters studies on viola at the Royal Conservatoire in Den Haag was invaluable to me ? I was able to recognize and change patterns of thinking and body use in my playing as well as in everyday life, make adjustments to my technique with greater ease and clarity, and deal with behaviour patterns that had become habitual but were not actually necessary. In short I learned how to learn".

Tom Hiddleston, student Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London
"The subtlety, ease and efficiency with which the Alexander Technique re-educates the body is uniquely energizing! The bodily freedom that this training releases, in stillness and in action, from singing to stage-fighting, has been one of the most valuable lessons that RADA has taught me".

Tom Noad, student Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London
"My body has become much more lively and better connected, I move with greater freedom and old tension and pains have disappeared. In addition, and very importantly for me as an actor, my voice has found its natural place and I can speak on stage with pose and ease without depending on any unnatural strain (which after all was FM Alexander?s original difficulty).
I would say, that the Alexander Technique has altered me indescribably both as an actor and as a person. It has opened me up as an actor and on an everyday basis it has left me a more even-tempered, focused individual, better able to cope with whatever life throws in my path!"

Charlie Walker-Wise, student Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London
"The Alexander Technique influences the way you conduct your physical, and consequently emotional, life. The relaxation and release of tension that the Technique constantly asks you to consider becomes a more pleasurable way of living every day, not only during a session. I cannot recommend it highly enough!"