How can enlivening the sense of listening and touch lead to awakening the kinesthetic sense and establish mindfulness while also reducing habitual tension? This can be a strong first beat to address what comes into the learning space with many of today’s students.
How does an embodied presence in movement build a unified attention to self and environment while beginning to define a receptive field for exploration? Lessening worry and lightening up on the tendency to end gain.
How can engaging with an embodied imagination be one way of introducing the psycho-physical response of “forward and up”?
See how scaffolding the Power of Pause to engage with the Primary Coordination in a series of activities builds stamina for attending to oneself in heightened states.
Join us in pursuing these quests and let the activities inspire you to further your own discoveries!
This workshop is designed for AT teachers working with students in a group setting. The activities have been successful with student groups of 8-12 actors, singers and performers, but could be adapted for smaller or larger groups of students of any kind.
About Teva
Teva Bjerken teaches the Alexander Technique to performers, bringing her career in dance to the art of performance. She trained and was certified by the American Center for Alexander Technique (1995) and assisted at both Juilliard and Mannes School of Music doing her final year of training. These studies developed over the years from workshops with: Meade Andrews, Bill Connington, Glynn MacDonald, Belinda Mello and Jessica Wolf.
Teva has taught the Alexander Technique at the New School University since 1995 and was faculty of the MFA Drama program for over 20 years. Currently she works with classical and jazz instrumentalists, singers, improvisers, composers and actors in a mixed community of learners at the College of Performing Arts within the New School. Teva served as movement faculty at NYU’s Tisch drama program at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute from 2012- 2018 and has taught the AT in the Theater Program at Fordham University for the past ten years.
My thanks to Aik Hooi Lee, Lane Kwederis, Rachel Towne and Hanfei Tu for joining me and bringing your support as teaching assistants into the learning spaces. It takes a team!
