Dance and the Alexander Technique

Rebecca Nettl-Fiol and Luc Vanier utilize their ten years of research on developmental movement and dance training to explore the relationship between a specific movement technique and the basic principles of support and coordination. The Alexander Technique, developed in the early twentieth century by F. M. Alexander, can be used to enhance dexterity in all types of activities, from everyday actions as mundane as tooth-brushing to highly demanding dance movements. The authors offer a unique approach for using the Alexander Technique in dance and other activities. Amply illustrated and supplemented with a DVD that demonstrates the concepts and applications of the Alexander Technique, this book will be highly instrumental for dancers, teachers of dance, and anyone interested in giving everyday movements more efficiency, dexterity, and elegance. Rebecca Nettl-Fiol is an associate professor of dance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and co-editor of The Body Eclectic: Evolving Practices in Dance Training. Luc Vanier is an associate professor in the dance department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Peck School of the Arts and a dance choreographer.