Presenters

For almost 50 years Tommy has taught and applied the Alexander principles and concepts and has guided thousands towards a life well lived more to their satisfaction. This list includes Alexander teachers and trainees, professional and Olympic athletes, dressage riders, scientists, physicians, corporate and university professionals, musicians, dancers, actors, children, trauma victims, the sexually abused, and those with life threatening disease and the disabled to a more fulfilling and meaningfully satisfying life. He currently has an active in-person and online teaching practice and taught on 30 teacher training courses in the USA, Europe, the UK, Netherlands ,and Asia. He has given well over 1000 workshops internationally for Alexander teachers, teacher trainees and the general public in 16 countries including Ireland, France, Israel. Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, Hungary, Spain, England, the USA, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Canada, and served as special assistant to the 1976 Olympic USA Heavyweight Rowing Crew. Tommy served on the faculty at Harvard University for 12 years where he taught the Technique to graduate students enrolled in the Institute for Advanced Theater Training, Harvard University/Moscow Art Theater and the American Repertory Theater. He is founder and Director of the Alexander Technique Center at Cambridge, where he has been training Alexander teachers since 1983. The Center was awarded The Best of Cambridge in Alternative and Holistic Health, by the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

A former Assistant Professor of Drama and Managing Director of Tufts Arena Theater at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, Tommy has acted and directed over 200 theater productions, working, acting or directing with such notable artists as Tennessee Williams in a revival of Eccentricities of a Nightingale (1977), and Michael Douglas, actor/producer and two time Academy Award Oscar winner.

Tommy is co-founder, charter member, and was inaugural Chair of Alexander Technique International (ATI). His contributions to ATI earned him the ATI Lifetime Membership Award. He is also an Honorary Member of ATI France (ATIF), the Irish Society of Alexander Technique Teachers (ISATT), a teaching member of the Japan Alexander Technique Association (JATA), and is Associate Director of Body Chance’s Japanese Alexander Teacher Education Program in Tokyo and Osaka.

Along with Richard A. Brown and Helen Rumsey Jones, wife of Frank Pierce Jones, Tommy co-founded the Alexander Technique Association of New England (ATA) in 1982 and the Frank Pierce Jones Archives and the F. Matthias Alexander Archives, initially housed in the Wessell Library at Tufts University. He was ATA’s director for six years. He is author of Touching Presence (with Rachel Prabhakar) and co-author of Scientific and Humanistic Contributions of Frank Pierce Jones. He has contributed numerous papers on the Alexander Technique, Tai Chi, and theater to Alexander and theater journals, periodicals, martial arts journals and newsletters. Tommy is currently writing another book, ‘An Awakened Life: Evolution of an Alexander Teacher and a revised edition of Touching Presence, translated recently in Japanese and French, with Korean and Spanish translations in-progress.

No newcomer to the Alexander Congresses, Tommy presented papers on his teacher, Dr Frank Pierce Jones at both the first and second International Congresses at Stoney Brook, NY and in Brighton, England and was one of the Second Generation teachers invited to give master classes at the Third International Congress in Engelberg, Switzerland, and has consistently given Continuous Learning classes at the Congresses since their inception. In 2016, along with Debi Adams and Bob Lada, he co-founded ‘In the Company of Support’ an annual Summer Retreat for advanced study in the Alexander work for teachers, trainees and the invited public. Each summer teachers and guest presenters from the Alexander community and in the Arts , Humanities and Science worldwide are invited to teach and participate.

At the onset of the Pandemic, Tommy launched ‘The Gift Of Our Understanding’ a series of online Zoom classes based on his then recently published book ‘Touching Presence,’ granting to those participants who completed the course a ‘Career and Life Enhancement Advanced Study Certificate’ from the Alexander Technique Center at Cambridge. The course continues and now extends beyond the scope of his book into an in depth exploration of how to apply the Alexander principles and concepts to the ever evolving and delightfully surprising evolution of your life. Tommy continues to teach privately in Cambridge, Massachusetts, both in person and online. And, post pandemic he continues to travel and teach in numerous countries.

Email: [email protected] Website: www.easeofbeing.com Summer Retreat: www.easeofbeingretreat.com

About Tommy’s approach to teaching from a review of his book ‘Touchng Beauty’ by Bruce Fertman and Penny Oconner:

Tommy uses the Alexander Technique as his vehicle through which he guides his students into living more compassionately conscious and self-embodied lives. Use is too narrow an arena for Tommy. He is interested in personal transformation.

In our profession, thankfully, we have many gifted teachers doing research into different aspects of Alexander’s work. Some of us are reductionists. Some of us are more physiologically oriented and want to zero in on the precise physiological mechanisms involved in bringing about improved use. This is exciting. At the same time, some of us, like Tommy, are what I would call expansionists. Tommy wants to expand Alexander’s work beyond the workings of the body into the workings of the heart and soul. That is where Tommy’s work lives. This too is exciting. For Tommy, Alexander’s work is a spiritual path, a way of life. I think this is true for many of us. Tommy is as much a healer and secular rabbi/sheik/priest as he is a teacher.

I am fine with this because when reading, Touching Presence, I feel in the presence of a person who is entirely himself, who teaches through who he is. He’s not imitating anyone. He teaches through his own personal ethical framework, expressing his own truth. He teaches through his own language. He teaches out of his own experience, sometimes painful experience. He’s real. He’s authentic.

Tommy often, like a Hasidic rabbi or Sufi sheik, teaches through story. He’s a good storyteller. He shares deeply moving stories with us of his birth, of growing up in the segregated south, of the love for and death of his wife, Julie. These are not just stories. The key concepts which Tommy holds dear about the Alexander Technique are clearly elucidated within these stories

David Moore is the director of the School for F.M. Alexander Studies in Melbourne which he established in 1998. He is the author of “Smart Yoga: Apply the Alexander Technique to enhance your practice, prevent injury and increase body awareness.”

Besides training teachers in the technique and running a private practice in Melbourne, he has been running regular workshops and trainings in Europe, the UK, China and Taiwan, both for Alexander and yoga teachers.

Rossella, born in Italy in 1975, lives and works between her adoptive home in the UK, Italy, and Australia, where she trained with David Moore in Melbourne.

As well as running a successful practice as an Alexander Technique teacher in Canterbury, UK, and online, Rossella also teaches the technique at the School for FM Alexander Studies in Australia.

Rossella is the author of For the Love of Games with Anne Mallen, with beautiful illustrations by Melbourne artist Isobel Knowles. This collection of games and activities, part original and part collected over the years, offers a resource for AT teachers to begin working with groups, or add depth and variety to an existing group-based practice.

Rossella is also the co-creator and co-curator of Authors – not your Usual Book Club with Jana Boronova, and assistant to David Moore’s Smart Yoga and AT training courses in Melbourne. A keen proponent of collaboration, she has worked with Luke Hockley to offer the workshop Learning How to Learn, Jeremy Chance’s AT Success course and many more.

Her interest in training courses has taken her to New York, Germany, Ireland and all over the UK, to share work and present on the topics of marketing, activities, anatomy, working with groups and social media.

Rossella has a gift for organising, a dynamic personality and a down to earth approach to things, allowing her to join the dots leading to new content and collaborative projects. She sees the Alexander Technique as an effective and sustainable model of personal and social development. Bringing an inclusive and practical spirit to all her activities, Rossella aims to realise the Technique’s value as a resource to as many people as possible.

Kecia Chin qualified as a Teacher of the Alexander Technique in 1999 from ACAT New York and has been working in private and small groups ever since. She is also a certified Yoga Teacher with specialty in Hatha, Vinyasa, and Bikram yoga and uses both disciplines to help people with scoliosis and other postural issues.

As a yoga instructor she specializes in the Schroth Yoga method. Kecia uses the principles of Alexander method alongside yoga breath therapy and designs specific Yoga Asanas for people with scoliosis. This helps to elevate back (upper, middle, lower) pain, or discomforts in shoulder, ribs and hip-as a result of scoliotic curvatures of the spine pain. She uses knowledge of anatomical alignment issues due to postural/spinal issues in her yoga practice specifically addressing form and function.

She helps clients to find ease and freedom during daily physical activities ranging from still postures (standing, sitting, sleeping). More importantly, how to practice pain prevention in more physically demanding postures and or asana practices in the many styles of yoga – – to simplify the everyday repetitive activities- working at a computer, playing sports, and exercises that compounded over time may cause long-term pain and/or discomfort.

Richard Brennan has studied the Alexander Technique since 1983 and has been teaching individual and group sessions since 1989 having undergone a three-year teacher training course approved by STAT (UK); he travels internationally giving talks and courses on the Technique. He has taught the Technique at many educational centres including Galway University, Limerick University, DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama (Dublin), Dartington College of Arts (Devon), and Middlesex University (London). Temple University (USA). He regularly teaches on holiday courses in Spain, Germany, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia. He was a director of the 2015 Alexander Congress in Limerick as well as the 2013 and 2017 Alexander Teacher’s Conventions in Ireland.

He has written eight books on the Alexander Technique, which are translated into 22 languages and are on sale world-wide – the titles including The Alexander Technique Workbook, Change your Posture – Change your Life and How to Breathe

Richard has been the director of the only Alexander Teacher Training College in Ireland for the last 22 years, Ireland which is STAT and ISATT approved and is also a past president and the co-founder of the Irish Society of Alexander Technique Teachers. (ISATT). He strongly believes that the technique is in essence very simple and easy to understand, but often it is made far too complicated and uses this believe as the basis of all his workshops.

Niall Kelly, MSc(Mgnt), MIITD, ISATT, mSTAT, trained to be an Alexander Technique Teacher in Galway, Ireland with Richard Brennan and was a Co-founder of The Irish Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (ISATT) of which he is currently president.

As well as running a successful practice as an Alexander Technique teacher Niall also teaches the technique in the University of Limerick to students on the MA programme in Chant and Ritual Song and on the BA in Voice and Dance, as well as to undergraduates in Mary Immaculate teacher training college in Limerick. He runs a regular workshop on Breath and Chant in the Benedictine monastery at Glenstal Abbey, Murroe, Co Limerick and was guest presenter at the 2013 and 2014 AmSAT annual conferences in Chicago and LA.

Niall is also an organisational change consultant and executive coach. He has worked in the area of organisational and personal change throughout his career. From his direct experience, he has seen how most organisations and individuals have to face wide-ranging changes to keep up with changing environments so they can readily adapt to emerging technologies in their fields. Too often he has seen how failure to do so early enough frequently results in the early demise of organisations and individuals.

Annedore Kleist is a professional actor and experienced teacher of the Alexander Technique. She studied acting at the School of Music and Theatre Hamburg and since her diploma in 1991 she has played in many theatres including Theater Basel, Theater Wuppertal, Théâtre de Vidy Lausanne, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen and Wiener Festwochen. Since 2002 she has travelled to festivals all over Europe with the Berlin based theatre company Nico and the Navigators. Annedore also plays in Film and Television.

In 2004 she finished her training at the School for Alexander Technique in Berlin with Dan Armon and ever since then she has specialized on working with actors and performers. She is also very experienced in breath and voice work. In 2018 she became a regular guest teacher at the Alexander Technique Teaching Training program in Galway, Ireland and now she is the permanent assistant of the course.

Natalija Jović is a graduated flutist, a Doctor of Science in Arts and a certified Alexander Technique teacher. She has been a music educator for many years. She was a flute teacher at the “Marko Tajčević” Music school in Lazarevac and has achieved significant results with students. Her interests as the researcher gravitate towards the methodology of teaching wind instruments and the methods and techniques that support musical development. She holds seminars and workshops in the country and the region.
A significant aspect of her work relates to psychomotor support for musical performance and aims to educate both students and professionals in ways to relieve unnecessary tension during playing, prevent pain, tendinitis and injuries. Teaching provides the necessary knowledge for quality body positions and movements during musical performance. The effects of working with the Alexander Technique teacher are reflected in greater freedom of movement, flexibility, better support for the instrument, the ability to practice for hours without fatigue and pain, and by reducing the fear of public speaking. All of the above results in changes in tone quality, technical abilities, and expressiveness.
Another important aspect of her work is in the field of effective practicing at a new music school project. Her active plan for practicing is based on self-regulated learning and offers the necessary knowledge about practicing strategies that facilitate independent work and ensure good results.

Ana Milek studied physical therapy (physiotherapy) at University of Applied Health Sciences. After three years of studies she obtained a BA in physical therapy. Her main interest was manual medicine and manual treatment techniques applicable to a variety of painful conditions so she attended various seminars on the subject and in 2009. She started with education at Croatian Academy of Osteopathy.
In 2011 she had her first contact with the Alexander technique and she immediately became extremely interested and wanted to know more. From 2016 to 2019 when she was already an advanced student at the Academy of Osteopathy, she attended a three-year Alexander technique teacher training in Freiburg, Germany (ATVD approved).
In her work she combines osteopathy with Alexander technique. She lives and works in Samobor, Croatia where she runs her own private practice. She loves what she does and every patient/client/pupil is a unique source of learning for her but most of all she loves to work with musicians and dancers.

Attila started learning the Alexander Technique in 2010 and became a certified teacher in 2014.
Besides the usual one-on-one scenario, He is very interested in experimenting with approaches that support teaching in groups, in person and online as well.

He has been working full time in my private practice in Szeged, Hungary. Also leading courses and workshops on the technique at the following institutions:
– Budapest Alexander Technique Teacher Training
– Semmelweis University, Budapest – Medicine and Health Sciences
– University of Szeged
– Faculty of Education
– Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Studies
– Béla Bartók Faculty of Arts

He is a member of the Hungarian Alexander Technique Teacher Association. He advocates social responsibility and has been doing pro-bono Alexander work with NGO-s, underprivileged children and their mentors, and many times people living with neurodegenerative diseases.
Also in 2018 He became a Transformational Coach which gives a lot in terms of supporting the people I work with in their progress.