Body Mapping
What is a body map?
Our body map is the mental representation of how we are put together and how we move. Everyone has one, whether they are conscious of it or not.
Your body map determines how you use your body. If your map is off-your movement is off, resulting in potential for pain, injury and/or limitation.
BODY MAPPING is the conscious refining and retraining of the way you move which will be determined by correcting misperceptions. Rooted in the pedagogy of Alexander Technique, Body Mapping uses visual images and models to illustrate the anatomical truth.
How is Body Mapping helpful for musicians?
Musicians learn to question their own concept of how they are designed (their body map) and, armed with the anatomical truth of size, structure, and function, learn how correcting inaccurate maps improves facility, ease and efficiency of playing and singing. Another component of Body Mapping is teaching inclusive awareness so that they aware of their whole self within the larger world. This information can be extremely valuable for those who deal with performance anxiety.
How can I get started?
Body Mapping can be taught through individual private lessons, where students can address specific issues of pain or limitation, in a (group) workshop format, using PowerPoint and anatomical models, or by taking the introductory course called What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body or WEM. It includes six hour-long presentations discussing the anatomical truth in Arms, Legs, Breathing, and Balance, and also addresses the value of Inclusive Awareness in re-training movement, and introduces Constructive Rest.
Individual Lessons
Group presentations
Group presentations
Musicians who are experiencing specific problems are encouraged to come in and work on-on-one to identify and correct errors in their body map. Simple changes can work wonders for your music-making.
Group presentations
Group presentations
Group presentations
Bands
Orchestras
Choruses
Summer Camps
Church Choirs
Jazz Ensembles
Conducting Seminars
Workshops
Group presentations
Workshops
Body Mapping can help any musician-regardless of what they do, or how long they have been doing it.
Instrument -specific workshops can be focused on particular issues such as breathing, for singers or wind and brass players, bowing for string players, stance and grip for percussionists, pedaling for pianists and harpists etc.