“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” - Henry James
What Is The Alexander Technique?
The Alexander Technique helps people feel and function better. It uses touch and verbal instruction to reorganize patterns of chronic tension, and gradually improves the coordination of postural support, breathing, and movement. Alexander Technique is used for chronic pain relief, stress reduction, and for improving performance in a wide variety of activities–from playing the violin, to sitting at a desk, to running a marathon.
Experientially, people report they feel more alert, energetic, quiet, and grounded after an Alexander lesson. Practically, The Alexander Technique encourages a redistribution of muscle tone. By consciously organizing the coordination of the head, neck, back, and limbs, the Technique offers overused surface muscles a needed break, and indirectly coaxes deeper layers of musculature into more activity.
About Clay
Clay Schaub is an Alexander Technique Teacher in Milwaukee. He works frequently with musicians, actors, dancers, and people with chronic pain. In addition to running a private practice, he has worked as an assistant trainer of Alexander teachers for more than 10 years, on several different courses–ATNYC, ATMKE, and ATTiC. He trained under the direction of John Nicholls and Nanette Walsh at ATNYC in Manhattan, completing a 3-year 1600 hour AmSAT Certification Program in June of 2012. Clay first came to the technique in 2002, after years of struggling with carpal tunnel syndrome and music-performance related injuries.
A typical Alexander lesson usually involves table work (above) and chair work - a rich study of posture, breathing, and movement.
Private Lessons
I teach from my home in Bayview, off of the Port of Milwaukee exit on I-794, a 7 minute drive from downtown Milwaukee, or three blocks from the #15 and #52 bus lines running along S Kinnickkinnick Avenue. Typically, students take weekly 45-minute lessons. Should you be interested in more frequent lessons, a half hour lesson twice a week also works very very well. My usual rate is $50/45-minute lesson. Should the fee become a financial hardship, please do not hesitate to let me know, as I do offer a sliding scale for those with real interest and need. To schedule private lessons please email: clayschaub@gmail.com or call: 303-941-6512
Weekly Alexander Technique Class At The Delaware House
**POSTPONED**
Offering low cost Alexander work to the Milwaukee community, this weekly drop-in class is an excellent introduction to the Alexander Technique. Primarily a hands-on experiential class, participants can expect 15min of chair work, 15 min of table work, a guided lie-down, and a brief discussion. Clay is occasionally joined for this class by several other teachers from the Milwaukee Alexander Technique community. It's fun!
Open to everyone–of particular interest to performers, musicians, dancers, singers, actors, and people in chronic pain.
"A PERSON HELD TO A FIXED POSITION CANNOT GROW." -F.M. Alexander
The Delaware House (upstairs)
2499 S Delaware Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
FREE / $15 suggested
For more information please email clayschaub@gmail.com
Above: BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL STUDY
Back Pain and The Alexander Technique. Participants received a series of 24 Lessons from STAT Certified Teachers in England in 2008.
Above: The Alexander Technique in Education
Introductory video courtesy of STAT & the FM Alexander Trust, via Judith Kleinman, AT instructor at The Royal College of Music.