The Alexander Technique

Peter Ribeaux has been an Alexander Technique teacher for over 45 years. He has given workshops in Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Israel, Switzerland and the USA, and has taught the Alexander Technique in a number of different settings, ranging from the performance arts to the aerospace industry. Formerly a university lecturer in organisational psychology at Middlesex University, UK, he has also been a council member of STAT (the Society of Teacher of the Alexander Technique, UK) and is currently a member of the Moderators' Panel and the Training Course Committee at STAT.

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1
You Never Know What You’re Touching

Chapter 2
What is the Alexander Technique?
Recognition of the Force of Habit
Inhibition
Unreliable Sensory Appreciation
Sending Directions
The Primary Control of the Use of the Self
So what then is the Alexander Technique ?

Chapter 3
A Critique of Alexander’s Terminology: its Relation to Teaching Styles and Methods
Once again, what is the Alexander Technique? A quick summary.
1. Use, Use of the Self, Habitual Use, etc
2. Sensory Appreciation, Unreliable, Imperfect, Faulty etc
3. Inhibition, Inhibitory Act, Primary Orders, Preventive Orders etc
4. Directions and Orders, Secondary, Directive etc
5. Primary Control, Central Control etc
Primary Control and/of the Use of the Self
Conception and Teaching Technique: the relatedness of thinking and action

Chapter 4
Towards a Functional Anatomy of the Alexander Technique
Muscles and Bones
Two Muscular Systems (a convenient fiction)
The Support System
Muscle Function
Tracing the Deep Support System
The Movement System
Interaction between the Support and Movement Systems
The Role of Movement Muscles in Support
So how does it all work?
Functional Anatomy and the Alexander Technique
The Mechanism of Misuse
The Primary Control
Conscious Control and Indirect Procedure
Inhibition and Direction
Lengthening and Widening
Conclusion

Chapter 5
Scientific Research

Chapter 6
More of My Story
Training as an Alexander Teacher
Life as an Alexander Teacher Trainer
Chapter 7
Training Alexander Technique Teachers
Direction: the Primary Directions
Teaching Hands-on Work
Direction: doing and non-doing
Alexander Online

Chapter 8
The Alexander Technique for Musicians and Other Performance Artists
Some Popular Traps
Guiding Principles
Alexander Teacher vs Instrumental Teacher!
A Word About Acting
On Working with Performance Artists in General

Chapter 9
Psychological Aspects
On Psychophysicality
Non-directive Interviewing
Mindfulness
“Power Posing” as a Direction

Chapter 10
Musings, Preoccupations and Explorations
Touch and Words
The Study of Anatomy
“Arms are also Legs”
Spirals
KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!)
What really is the Alexander Technique?!
The “Big Question” - Psycho-physical Unity
My Own Back
More on Inhibition and Direction: Doing the Inhibition and Not Doing the Direction
Relations with Other Disciplines: One Alexander Technique?
Parallel Universes?

Epilogue

Bibliography

Appendices

Foreword