Barbara Hudson

The Effects of The Alexander

Technique on the Respiratory
System of the Singer/Actor
Part II: Implications for Training
Respiration in Singer/Actors Based on
Concepts of the Alexander Technique
only within the last quarter of the ditionally has been taught in classi-
twentieth century that AT began to cal voice training. F. M. Alexander
be frequently discussed among voice developed an awareness of the con-
pedagogues and classical singers as a cept of kinesthesia that society in his
valuable supplement to voice train- time did not yet comprehend. His
ing. technique and its wide adoption by
These factors help explain why rel- actors and dancers have helped to cre-
atively little scholarly research about ate much greater sensitivity to the
how the technique can be incorpo- need for accurate sensory apprecia-
rated into the teaching of singing has tion among performers, but classical
been done by certified AT teachers singers remain relatively uneducated
who are also professional voice teach- in the field of kinesthetically devel-
ers. Since a growing number of pro- oped body use. The body’s kinesthetic
fessional voice teachers currently are sense organizes complex messages
Barbara Hudson
choosing to become certified in the from muscles, ligaments, and tendons,
technique, many new possibilities providing the brain with information
Research on the use of the Alexan- exist for more in-depth insights into regarding the balance of the body, its
der Technique (AT) in the teaching of AT and how it can be used to enhance position in space, and the qualities of
singing is a field that has been slow the teaching of all aspects of singing our movements, as well as our re-
to develop. AT has been the subject and acting. It is the purpose of this flexes. Efficient kinesthetic aware-
of investigation among actors, dancers, part of the article to present implica- ness depends on accurate signals from
and movement specialists for a much tions that can be drawn for teachers the proprioceptors in the tendons and
longer period of time than it has been of singer/actors from the work of joints of the body. These propriocep-
for singers. That Alexander himself some of the AT specialists who have tors are activated by movement and do
was an actor accounts for the early combined teaching the technique with not necessarily operate on a conscious
foothold that the technique had in teaching singing and acting. level. This is a type of body training
the acting community, which in turn and awareness that has been more
results in far more certified AT teach- DEVELOPMENT OF SENSORY familiar to actors and dancers than
ers who are professional actors than AWARENESS it has been to singers. We are operat-
those who are professional singers ing our kinesthetic awareness, which
and voice teachers. Although singers A further major reason why re- is dependent on our proprioception,
went to F. M. Alexander for lessons search concerning how to incorpo- when we engage in learning a skill
early in the technique’s history, it was rate the principles of AT into the such as singing or acting. The grow-
teaching of singing has been scarce ing number of professionally trained
Journal of Singing, November/December 2002
results from the fact that the tech- singers who have sought training in
Volume 59, No. 2, pp. 105–110
Copyright 2002 nique itself demands a much greater body work and sensory appreciation
National Association of Teachers of Singing degree of sensory awareness than tra- through modalities such as AT implies

N OV E M B E R /D E C E M B E R 2002 105
 The Effects of The Alexander Technique, Part II

that singing teachers need to become slow to change, and at worst an obsta- mount importance in allowing the
more sensitive to subtle body move- cle to experiencing a new sensation. breathing mechanism to work effi-
ment and varying degrees of tension Lloyd believed that however detailed ciently. However, AT can provide an
and muscle effort in their students training books on singing may be alternative approach to the use of the
and in themselves. about ideal postural characteristics, body other than what traditional vocal
One singer who sought out such they do not overcome this problem of training has described as the singer’s
training is Gwyneth Lloyd, now a cer- unreliable sensory appreciation. noble posture. As described in Part I
tified teacher of AT, professional Reliable sensory appreciation is a pre- of this article, F. M. Alexander had
singer, and opera director currently requisite to being able to notice and habitually adopted a kind of erect pos-
living in South Africa. Lloyd has writ- change postural, alignment, and mus- ture that was probably an accepted
ten about how lessons in the tech- cle use habits that impede the body’s form of body use for the style of
nique created physical, mental, and holistic response to the respiratory Shakespearean recitation popular in
emotional changes in her singing that impulse. Lloyd found that this is his day. We can glean from his writ-
not only helped her surmount habits where AT contributes to solving this ings that his practice of this body use
that were impeding the use of her res- dilemma. involved a sternum that was held in
piratory system as a performer, but Evidence has shown through the an erect position and a head position
also made dramatic changes in the experiences of singers and voice that was lifted out towards the audi-
overall quality of her life and in how teachers such as Lloyd that, because ence, resembling a “playing to the bal-
she teaches respiration to her stu- of the delicate tactile sense and the cony” style of presentation. Whether
dents. Her 1987 masters thesis, “The kinesthetically-aware observation this method of body use proved as
Application of the Alexander Tech- skills that it teaches, AT achieves detrimental to other actors as it was
nique to the Teaching and Performing its remarkable successes through a to him is not known, but Alexander’s
of Singing: A Case Study Approach,” dramatically more “kinesthetically- writings make it clear that the body
published at the University of Stellen- awake” approach to dealing with use he developed through his tech-
bosch, South Africa, included measur- the body. Having a keenly devel- nique reactivated his upright reflexes
able data about physiological changes oped kinesthetic sense of what is and created a new dynamic of energy,
that occurred both in herself and in going on in your own body as a poise, and erectness that was very dif-
other singers who had AT and singing teacher makes it much easier to ferent from his old manner of use.
lessons during the same time period. accurately discern how the muscu- This does not mean to imply that all
Lloyd explained that it became very lature is being sensed and used in singers who adopt an erect sternum
clear to her from her own experiences another person. Developing her in the cultivation of the singer’s noble
with AT and from the case studies in own kinesthetic sense through AT posture are subject to the same mus-
her research that the postural frame- helped Lloyd to better discern what cle misuses that occurred in Alex-
work has a direct bearing on the was happening kinesthetically in ander’s case. It does suggest, however,
potential of the breathing mechanism.1 the bodies of her students. This that the buoyant, aligned, and erect
Both singers and voice teachers are sense becomes a valuable teaching appearance and unhindered breath-
faced with the same problem that F. tool, whether it is used through ing mechanism that are goals of all
M. Alexander demonstrated on this hands-on work during instruction singers can be realized by a pathway
issue, that is, although it is agreed that or whether it is used only through other than the traditional concept of
certain “postural attitudes” are detri- visual and aural observation. The posture.
mental to efficient respiratory function field of voice pedagogy could profit Body use created by primary con-
and good vocal tone, the only guide greatly by including aspects of this trol and the upright reflexes differs
towards correcting a singer’s “pos- development in training teachers. from that of the singer’s noble pos-
tural attitude” is the singer’s aware- ture in that when the head finds its
ness of how the old habit feels and POSTURE VS. UPRIGHT REFLEXES balance on top of the spine and the
ignorance of how the new habit spine is allowed to lengthen, the pelvis
should feel. 2 Because feelings are Voice pedagogues as well as AT and legs release in the opposite direc-
untrustworthy with regard to body practitioners agree that the postural tion from the head. Rob Macdonald
use, the singer’s sense of feel is at best framework for the body is of para- described this as a two-way stretch

106 JOURNAL OF SINGING

 Barbara Hudson

that occurs as the spine lengthens singer/actors should be trained to knowledge of what is going on while
both up and down in response to the lengthen and widen the body in all it is happening.5 When one starts mak-
freely forward nod of the head.3 AT directions out from the center in what- ing observations in this way, one dis-
practitioners define a dynamically ever physical embodiment is neces- covers that sensations of muscular
moving, lengthening spine as one that sary for specific performing situations. tension, heaviness, stiffness, and their
has the oppositional direction of the This is even further validated when opposites during any activity are not
sacrum moving down away from the the true nature of primary control is chaotic and meaningless, but have a
head while the head moves out away discovered. The concept of primary central pattern that changes in re-
from the torso. This movement agrees control cultivated in AT is much more sponse to changing patterns of stim-
with the spine’s natural gathering on than finding a position for the head uli, thought-images, and free mental
inhalation and lengthening on exha- and holding it there. It is a whole, coor- associations.
lation. It is a very different body dinated body dynamic that focuses on The effect of this kind of attention
dynamic than the singer’s noble pos- a release of holding and positioning, upon the breathing mechanism is one
ture. Additionally, when the para- beginning first with the muscles of that releases the muscular compres-
spinal muscles are activated to main- the neck and the head at its joint with sion within the body that can occur
tain uprightness, muscles in the back the spine, and then traveling sequen- when attention is concentrated on
that can become overactive in the tially into released coordination one aspect of the immediate envi-
effort to hold the sternum high can throughout the entire body, both in ronment or on one internal thought
then release and can be used not only stillness and in movement. process or body function. Expanding
for movement, but also can stop hin- the field of attention also promotes
dering the free movement of the back integration of the individual mem-
FIELD OF ATTENTION
of the ribs in respiration. bers of the breathing reflex so they
Literature by AT practitioners in Alexander discovered that atten- can freely respond to the needs of the
the field of performing arts consis- tion can be focused during any activ- moment.6 The decompressing effect
tently has stressed that in vocal train- ity in so concentrated a manner that that an expanded field of attention
ing, teaching a concept of posture for it results in drawing the body into a has on the respiratory and phonatory
the use of the body implies putting smaller, more compressed state. Frank systems of the body implies that in
the body in a position and maintain- Pierce Jones, a major contributor to singing instruction, following lesson
ing that position. Rob Macdonald and AT literature who trained as a teacher time spent on technical skills that deal
Gwyneth Lloyd both asserted that this of the technique with F. M. Alexander, specifically with just one area or func-
method of training the body can imply applied this discovery to musicians tion of the body, an effort should be
rigidity. Macdonald claims that hold- who become so focused on the inter- made to reintegrate the student’s
ing the body in any specific position pretation of music during a perform- attention back to the whole self and
contributes to confusion about how ance that they exclude from their field the environment. Such a change in
to find physical release and freedom of attention awareness of their envi- teaching strategy would necessitate
while adopting emotional states that ronment and what is happening in new levels of body awareness on the
reflect the nature of the text being their own bodies. He and other pro- part of both teacher and student as
well as new levels of communication
communicated.4 This confusion is a fessional musicians who have writ-
ten about AT and musicians, such as in the teacher/student relationship.
common complaint of actors who
must embody characters in emotional Pedro de Alcantara and Fernando
UNLEARNING PREVIOUSLY
crisis, and is also a source of confu- Duarte, have voiced the opinion that
all musicians need to be trained to be LEARNED HABITS
sion for music theater singers por-
traying operatic or music theater roles more inclusive in their field of atten- Alexander’s efforts to retrain his
that depict some form of extreme emo- tion rather than exclusive. Expanding own respiration established that
tion. F. M. Alexander chose to use the the field of attention so that aware- learned habits are the most difficult
term “direction,” rather than posture ness becomes an all-inclusive, unfo- to unlearn, a maxim substantiated by
for the use of the body. The major con- cused condition integrates simul- Gwyneth Lloyd’s study on combin-
tributors to the field of AT literature taneously outward stimuli and inward ing AT instruction with voice training.
concur with this view, implying that responses. Jones described this as Her research included compiling data

N OV E M B E R /D E C E M B E R 2002 107
 The Effects of The Alexander Technique, Part II

on changes that were made in respi- as a result of addressing overall use, a student actors he trained at The Cen-
ration among four singers from The further implication suggests that voice tral School of Speech and Drama. Part
Conservatorium of Music at The students need to be given new sen- of his work with these student actors
University of Stellenbosch and one sory experiences for the act of respi- involved the use of mirrors in the
of her own voice students. Each took ration. Part I of this article demon- same way that Alexander used them
thirty private AT lessons during the strated that the lengthening of the to help the actors begin to recognize
same time period that he or she was spine on exhalation can bring about their ability to cooperate with the
studying voice at the university. These new dynamics of balance within the spine’s lengthening on exhalation,
lessons, completed within a period of breathing mechanism that are quite creating a complete, noncollapsed
about six months, produced data on profound. With new ways of regis- expiratory phase that allowed a
the students’ physical profiles that tering sensory experiences with regard deeper, reflexive inspiratory phase to
recorded measurable and observable to breathing, singer/actors can allow follow. The premise that the length-
physical changes in the respiratory their bodies to respond to the breath- ening spine on exhalation sets up the
system as a result of AT lessons. The ing reflex in their own ways rather framework for the inward swing of
data recorded on each subject revealed than conforming to any “blueprint” the ribs and upward descent of the
a variety of changes in the use of the as to how much or where their mus- diaphragm is one that many AT spe-
breathing mechanism, including the culature should move. AT teachers cialists, including Alexander, have
development of more rib flexibility such as Lloyd believe that in unlearn- accepted and adopted in their work
and movement during respiration, ing previously learned breathing with singers. Many professional
the release of tension in the muscles habits, it is necessary for the teacher singers, including Gwyneth Lloyd,
of the back to allow for a release of to change the student’s understand- have found more released and effi-
the pelvic diaphragm muscles and the ing and mental attitude towards cient breath use by adopting this pro-
lower abdominal muscles, and slower, breathing. Lloyd, Macdonald, and cedure than by using traditional
deeper inhalation as a result of releas- Barbara Conable all have stated that breathing techniques that take no
ing abdominal tension that had hin- as they work with singers and actors, account of the movement of the spine.
dered the excursion of the diaphragm. they discover that they must deal with This would imply that the pedagogy
Lloyd found that, because each of the many preconceived ideas and erro- of respiration in current singing train-
case studies with which she worked neous beliefs about breathing as they ing should be adjusted to include a
had a different combination of breath- retrain respiration. Although these focus on a complete and noncom-
ing skills, the students who were the teachers are guided by AT principles pressed exhalation within the con-
quickest to absorb and apply new use as they work with students, they still text of a lengthening spine.
of their respiratory systems were those observe each individual to find out AT also develops an awareness of
who previously had had no singing what means must be adopted to trans- the movement of the breathing struc-
lessons at all. She discovered that form breathing in each situation. This tures in the back of the body. Some
every individual’s breathing balance implies the need for a great deal of traditional breathing instruction
was slightly different from the next, individuality in the way breathing for focuses only on the front and sides
and that the balance of the descent singing is taught. of the body during respiration, pos-
of the diaphragm and protrusion of sibly because the front of the body is
the abdominal wall with the eleva- FOCUS ON EXPIRATION AND most easily visible to both singing stu-
tion of the ribs varied in different BACK MOVEMENT dents and to their teachers. Barbara
individuals and with the depth of res- Conable states that as the diaphragm
piration. Her conclusion was that this Rob Macdonald voiced the opin- flattens, it exerts pressure on the
element of variation in the mechan- ion in his 1997 book that methods of abdominal cylinder in all directions,
ics of breathing would imply to teach- breathing instruction used in tradi- not just in the front.7 The movement
ers of singing that there should be no tional vocal training have focused too of the ribs in the back and the down-
“blueprint” for breathing instruction. much attention on inhalation and not ward release of the pelvis as the spine
In light of the way F. M. Alexander enough on exhalation. His research moves during respiration are both fac-
and the succeeding generations of AT involved incorporating AT instruc- tors that AT teachers such as Conable
teachers have transformed breathing tion into singing and acting with three believe traditional breathing instruc-

108 JOURNAL OF SINGING

 Barbara Hudson

tion does not address. When the ability to engage primary control in in the opposite direction as physical
movement of the spine is not taken the use of the body in an activity and support for his breath and voice. In
into consideration, the movement can lead to uncoordinated use. These doing this, he created a “centered
capacity of the diaphragm and ribs is considerations imply that when sing- groundedness” for his voice and a
compromised. ing teachers demonstrate for and com- foundation for a springboard of energy
municate with their students, care that provided him with a new qual-
BEWARE OF END-GAINING should be taken not to create the emo- ity of alert readiness without mus-
tional or psychological conditions that cular interference. This was the
Alexander believed that indirect would encourage end-gaining to occur. technique that he taught to the actors,
means were much more effective than Singing teachers should constantly be singers, and medical professionals
direct ones in solving specific breath- aware of how their students are who came to him for lessons. Al-
ing and phonation problems. When responding to instruction in order to though his early designation as “the
he turned his attention back to his keep the students’ total physical, emo- breathing man” was deservedly
total coordination rather than focus- tional, and psychological use under earned, he also earned the reputation
ing on specific structures of the breath- observation at all times. for helping people find a new kind of
ing or phonatory systems, his breath- released energy for the way they used
ing became less audible and labored, CONCLUSION themselves in any activity of life.
his voice became more resonant and It is evident from the work of the
clear, and his body became more open When Alexander returned to the AT specialists examined in Part I and
and energized. His vehicle for accom- stage to perform during the early years Part II of this article that the general
plishing this was the development of of perfecting his technique, his friends good functioning of the individual can
his ability to stop what he called “end- and colleagues were amazed at the greatly benefit respiration. Walter
gaining,” which for him meant doing change not only in his voice, but in Carrington, one of the most interna-
all the things he habitually did to “try his calm confidence as a performer tionally acclaimed teachers of the tech-
to fix things and make them work.” and in the amount of released fluid- nique, wrote: “If AT teachers can help
Pausing in the midst of the activity of ity that he demonstrated as he moved. people get their breathing function-
speaking in order to address habitual He had found a way to achieve the ing more freely, then they will have
patterns of misuse helped him develop amount of energetic, balanced resist- done more to help them with any emo-
the ability to carry primary control ance needed in his torso to produce tional and psychological problems than
and his body’s response to it into the energized sound from a more holis- could be done by anyone else work-
act of speaking, and subsequently into tic and natural pathway than the one ing in any other way that I know of.”8
all his daily activities. In the voice stu- he had habitually applied during train- One could infer that improved breath-
dio, it often is easy to miss the oppor- ing received in acting and elocution. ing would then improve general func-
tunity to observe the interference with He learned that focusing on the intent tioning. F. M. Alexander believed that
the body’s postural and breathing to communicate while cooperating the emotional, mental, and physical
reflexes that occurs when students with primary control and the length- life of an individual is so integrally
are in the midst of trying to “do things ening of the spine allowed him to rely bound with breathing that to effect a
correctly.” Their desire to fix a par- on the gradual and natural upward change in respiration would bring
ticular vocal problem, to learn a par- movement of the viscera and the about changes in other aspects of life
ticular phrase or technical skill, or diaphragm to create the balanced as well. If this is true, then singing
even to please the teacher can create resistance needed to sustain an ener- teachers have a unique opportunity
end-gaining misuse of the body that gized and ringing speaking voice. to impact the lives of their students
can hinder the very ability to make When he balanced his head on top of for the better, not just as performers,
the sought-after progress. AT practi- his spine so its center of gravity was but as whole persons.
tioners define end-gaining as an ori- just forward of the skull’s joint with
entation toward an end to be achieved the spine, the balance of his entire NOTES
that distracts from the steps (or means) body completely changed, allowing 1. Gwyneth Lloyd, “The Application of
needed to achieve that end. An end- his spine to lengthen on exhalation the Alexander Technique to the Teach-
gaining orientation can prevent one’s and his pelvis and legs to drop down ing and Performing of Singing: A Case

N OV E M B E R /D E C E M B E R 2002 109
 The Effects of The Alexander Technique, Part II

Study Approach” (Master’s Thesis, SUPPLEMENTAL REFERENCES and Martha Fertman, and she will receive
University of Stellenbosch, South her teaching certificate in May of 2003.
Africa, 1988), 128. Alcantara, Pedro de. Indirect Procedures,
Dr. Hudson holds the Doctor of Arts Degree
A Musician’s Guide to the Alexander Tech-
2. Ibid., 129. nique. New York: Oxford University Press, with concentration in Vocal Pedagogy from
3. Robert Macdonald, Secrets of Alexan- 1997. The University of Mississippi, the Master
der Technique (New York: Dorling Kin- of Music Degree with concentration in Vocal
Duarte, Fernando. “The Principles of The
dersley, 2000), 42. Pedagogy from Southwestern Baptist Theo-
Alexander Technique Applied To Singing:
4. Robert Macdonald, “The Use of the logical Seminary, and the Bachelor of Music
The Significance of The Preparatory Set.”
Voice” (Voice Research Project for Mas- Education Degree from James Madison
Journal of Research In Singing and Applied
ter of Arts in Voice Study, Central Vocal Pedagogy. Fort Worth: Texas Chris- University. She has taught voice at the col-
School of Speech and Drama, UK, tian University, 1981. lege and university level since 1989 and
1997), i-ii. was an intern in the 2001 NATS Intern
Hudson, Barbara. “The Effects of The
5. Frank Pierce Jones, Freedom to Change— Program. She is currently teaching voice
Alexander Technique on the Respiratory
The Development and Science of the and The Alexander Technique privately
A l exa n d e r Te c h n i q u e ( L o n d o n : System of the Singer/Actor.” Doctoral
in Little Rock, AR, where she lives with her
Mouritz, 1997), 174. Original title: Essay completed for the Doctor of Arts
Degree, University of Mississippi, 2001. husband, Terry. Dr. Hudson incorporates
Body Awareness in Action: A Study of
principles of The Alexander Technique into
the Alexander Technique (New York:
her work with singers and instrumentalists
Schoken Books, 1976).
Barbara Hudson has been a student of The and into her own performance practices as
6. Ibid., 174 and 177. a singer, conductor, and pianist.
Alexander Technique since 1992. She has
7. Barbara Conable, The Structures and studied the technique with Diana Bradley
Movement of Breathing (Chicago: GIA
in Tocoma Park, MD, Karen Guertler in
Publications, 2000), 34. Full lasting is the song, though he,
Baltimore, MD, Marsha Paludan in
8. Walter Carrington, Thinking Aloud— The singer, passes.
Greensboro, NC, and Christine Isley-Farmer
Talks on Teaching The Alexander Tech- “The Thrush in February” (1888)
in Murfreesboro, TN. In 1999, Dr. Hudson
nique (Berkeley: Mornum Time Press,
began training to become a certified AT George Meredith
1994), 48.
teacher at The Alexander Alliance in Phila- (1828–1909)
delphia, PA, under the direction of Bruce
REFERENCES
Carrington, Walter. Thinking Aloud—
Talks on Teaching The Alexander Technique.
Berkeley: Mornum Time Press, 1994.
Conable, Barbara. The Structures and Move-
ment of Breathing. Chicago: GIA Publi-
cations, Inc., 2000.
Jones, Frank Pierce. Freedom To Change—
The Development and Science of the Alexan-
SCHOOL of MUSIC
der Technique. London: Mouritz, 1997.
(Original title: Body Awareness in Action: The place to study music!
A Study of the Alexander Technique. New
York: Schoken Books, 1976)
Find out why—
Lloyd, Gwyneth. “The Application of the Visit our website at www.arts.unco.edu
Alexander Technique to the Teaching or
and Performing of Singing: A Case Study
Call (970)351-2993
Approach.” Master’s Thesis, University
of Stellenbosch, South Africa, 1988. e-mail: [email protected]
Macdonald, Robert. “The Use of the
Voice.” Voice Research Project for Mas- School of Music • Campus Box 28 , UNC
ter of Arts in Voice Study, Central School Greeley, Colorado 80639
of Speech and Drama, UK., 1997.

110 JOURNAL OF SINGING