Presenters

Malcolm Balk was attracted to the Alexander Technique in the late 70s when his cello teacher suggested it might help with tension and stage fright issues.  Malcolm subsequently trained as an AT teacher with Patrick Macdonald in London, graduating in 1984. Runner and coach, Malcolm competes in his veteran category and holds several age group records in Quebec.  He has been leading Art of Running workshops throughout the world (Europe, North and South American, Australia, and Japan) since 1992.  In 2016, Malcolm began training Alexander Technique teachers to work with runners in his Art of Running Instructor Training program, holding courses in Ireland, Argentina, England, New York City, Uruguay, and Germany.  

Malcolm is the author of two books: Master the Art of Running and Master the Art of Working Out. He is currently based in Montreal with his wife, Lindsay, 3 teenage girls, 2 cats and one dog, Millie.

Lindsay Newitter began learning the Alexander Technique while studying acting in the 90s and dealing with the repercussions of scoliosis and having worn a back brace as a teenager.  She completed her AT teacher training at ATNYC in 2007 with John Nicholls and Nanette Walsh.
She first had the idea to start running after taking one of Malcolm Balk’s workshops.  She’s been a recreational runner for over 10 years and frequently works with runners as an Art of Running instructor.  She has helped Malcolm develop his Art of Running Instructor Training and has co-taught many of these trainings with him – in New York City, Ireland, Argentina, Uruguay, and Germany.  

Lindsay has been teaching the Alexander Technique for 18 years in New York City and now in Montreal.  In addition to her private practice, she teaches workshops, courses, and retreats for women, focused on using the Alexander Technique to communicate with confidence.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.