Functional Awareness

Nancy Romita is a Registered Somatic Movement Educator, co-founder of Functional Awareness®: Anatomy in Action, and Director of the Alexander Technique Mid-Atlantic Teacher Training Course. She has taught at the 92ndStY, American Dance Festival, Connecticut College, SUNY Purchase, UMBC, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Stevenson University. She is currently faculty at Towson University where she has been teaching experiential anatomy and kinesiology for over 16 years. She has presented at NDEO, ACDA, IADMS, CORPS de Ballet. Her collaborative research with Johns Hopkins Medicine was presented at the 2013 & 2014 PAMA and IADMS conferences in 2014 and 2015. Nancy Romita has been active in somatic work, performing, and choreographing for 35 years. Allegra Romita is a Certified Movement Analyst and the co-founder and curriculum designer for Functional Awareness® Anatomy in Action. Allegra is a certified teacher in Vinyassa Flow Yoga. Allegra Romita completed her yoga teacher training in 2008. She trains in Thai Massage Sacred Bodywork. She also completed the Certificate in Dance Injury Rehabilitation from West Side Dance Physical Therapy in New York City.

CONTENTS
Homage
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Relationship of Habit to Dance Training
2. Skeletal Center of Gravity to Promote Easeful Balance: Moving out of Habit and into a Balanced Standing Posture
3. Anatomical and Kinesthetic Imagery: Impact of Thinking on Doing
4. Deep Muscles of Postural Support
5. Motions of the Trunk and Elegant Use of Spiral
6. The Pelvis as Conduit from Head to Feet
7. Ways of Walking: How Gait Affects Dance Training
8. Breath as the Deep Core Support for Dancing
9. Core Support
10. Expressivity of Arms
11. Recuperation and Restoring Balance
Glossary of Terms in Human Anatomy
Bibliography
Further Readings
Index