Alexander-Technique Training Course Berlin

Hello, welcome to our site. We are Thomas Hoppe and Matthias Graefen and offer an internationally recognized Alexander Technique weekend training in Berlin. 

The next start of the 3.5-year training course will be 06.09.2024. Until then, you can get to know our work without obligation on two Saturdays per month from 11 am to 3 pm. The cost is €30 per appointment.

Here are the provisional dates up to and including July

May 04, May 18, June 01, June 15, July 06 & July 20.

Thomas Hoppe born 1967, father of three children

AT training in Berlin with Dan Armon, graduated in 2005

Before that regular AT lessons with changing teachers since 1993

Education at the AIM in Vienna 1993 in the field of Jazz & Pop music on the electric bass

Since 1994 I have been working as a freelance musician in double bass and electric bass.

Here I have worked in a variety of projects and bands.

“The longer I studied the Alexander Technique, the clearer the space that lies behind my identifications, problems and habits. The easy life has been there all along, just waiting for me to discover and create it.”

http://www.alexandertechnik-berlin.com/

http://alexandertechnikinitiative.berlin

Studio

Erdmannstraße 12, 10827 Berlin
Telefon: 030.-.12.02.47.26
Mobil: 0176.-.211.92.530
m.graefen@alexandertechnik-lehrer-berlin.de

A technique to teach

The Alexander-Technique is no really a therapy method, but a sort of lesson. The learners are taught to use consciously their body while sitting, rising up, standing, walking, carrying and speaking. Consciously means not to take a tense or strenuous position which affects the whole freedom of movement and the well-being.

Mooving lightly

The Alexander-Technique provides connections between expectations, thinking, behavioral habits and physical reactions. With the help of this knowledge the student can perceive “wrong” motion sequences to move more upright and lighter.

The hero

“A this story of sharp warmth, intelligence and perseverance, shown by a man [F.M. Alexander] without medical education, is one of the true heroic deeds of medical research and practice.”
Professor Niko Tinbergen, in 1973 in his speech to the acceptance of the Nobel prize for medicine

The Alexander Technique is to lead back to Australian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869 – 1955).

Because his voice often failed while reciting, he began to pay attention to his respiration. Besides, he found out that tensions in neck and back prevented him from breathing freely and from moving naturally.

As a result Alexander developed a learning concept with which such strains can be avoided by deliberating control of motions. Alexander transmitted his knowledge first to actor colleagues; later musicians, singers and dancers also used his method.

By the increase of a more holistic way of thinking the Alexander technique has found in the meanwhile a wide usage and recognition, also beyond these areas.

frank_matthias_alexander

The 5 Principles of the Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is based on five basic principles.

1. Recognition of Force of Habit

This means learning to notice what you are doing which may be causing you pain or discomfort.

2. Inhibition and non-doing

Which involves stopping yourself from doing the unhelpful habit and learning to use the appropriate amount of effort to achieve your goals.

3. Recognition of faulty sensory awareness

This means that you don’t always know exactly what you are doing and what feels wrong and uncomfortable may actually be better for you, it is just unfamiliar.

4. Giving directions

This is about sending “orders” or specific thoughts or intentions to the body from the brain to encourage the body to flow and expand rather than contract. This enables much more freedom in movement and freedom from habitual tension and reactions.

5. Primary control

This is the functional relationship between the head, neck and back in our bodies. Alexander found that this is crucial in organising the body so that it functions at its most efficient. To allow the primary control to engage takes awareness of the body and what you are doing and therefore links in with number 1 above.