Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Alexander technique
Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Alexander technique(I hope I'm doing this correctly)
I am no Wikipedia expert. I am also not a master of the Alexander Technique. I was a student at one time, working with a teaching practitioner, as well as reading on the subject, and I hope that I may add some information that one of the writers of the topic could find useful for explanation to a layman who is not expecting to find lessons in these pages, but rather, to learn a bit why someone would pursue it. I can't cite publications, or any of that, but possibly my words can be used by a writer, who can make the citations, or call what I have to say 'gibberish.'
It has been stated that A.T. is intended to overcome negative habits of posture, to encourage well being and various purposes. The Alexander Technique seeks to teach you to stop using the big muscle groups, that we tend to consciously choose as members of civilization, where we have many unnatural habits, unlike those of a feral human. Instead, it strives to get you to relax those muscles, and allow a new group of muscles, those of your core. Many publications mis-define one's core musculature as your mid-section muscles, but this technique teaches you to use the numerous tiny muscles in the musculature of your spine and neck.
You learn to allow your neck to float like a balloon, which activates all these little muscles, pulls your spine into length, straightens out the kinks in your spine over time, and allows you to gain awareness of this group of muscles. Look at how a ballerina's neck stretches into length first, before she reaches out her hand, or turns her head so gracefully.
Through awareness of, and development of this group of muscles, you free up your musculo-skeletal system to be better capable to utilize the voice, (Countless singers, amateur and professional, have utilized this training in their singing.)
Developed this way, one gains great control, as utilized by numerous dancers. It is my understanding that this is a dominant practice among professional ballet dancers. When the spine goes into length before turning your head, it allows the vertebrae to be partially supported on these fine muscles, and keeps the vertebrae from grinding on one another.
Imagine helium in your head, and allow your head to float upwards before turning your head, and then back to center. Now, I don't want you to do this, but if you were now to jerk your head sideways, you might encounter a sharp pain, which would NOT be something taught you in AT.
That would simply demonstrate a simplistic principle, but would not be the catch-all for you to begin a self-taught program of Alexander Technique. Research would reveal the dancers, the singers, the actors, and many more, who find success in Alexander Technique. It is well known in the business, but if you are a self-proclaimed intellectual out to make sure that no one has a voice unless they meet your standards, then go ahead and erase the Alexander Technique on Wikipedia, but it won't be gone. It will just lack a source for referral on Wikipedia. I sympathize with you over-schooled, under-educated souls who think that knowledge is quantified by facts. Wikiwikiwaaa (talk) 19:21, 9 August 2011 (UTC)