Interview with online journal MysticMag

Here is our complete set of answers. I think this is a very good representation of who we are. You can also see the MysticMag article here.

MysticMag's Question	Our Answer
1) What inspired the establishment of the Bay Area Alexander Technique organization, and how has it evolved over time?	We recognized that teachers tended to work individually and become isolated. We felt the need to organize collectively, building connections, and expanding outreach efforts and community involvement.
2) Can you explain the core principles of the Alexander Technique and how they contribute to improved posture and movement?	Alexander Technique teaches students efficiency and coordination. It helps disengage habits that interfere with natural, easy movement. This can improve posture and balance, ease pain, and reduce impact/stress. The Alexander Technique is a method of body awareness and re-education and helps to improve overall well-being. It focuses on recognizing harmful habits, reducing unnecessary tension, and promoting balance and ease. Alexander's insight was that because vertebrates initiate action from the head, natural alignment of the head and the spine is the most effective way of organizing one's self. When misalignment becomes habitual, what feels correct may not be. The Alexander teacher offers an objective view and gentle guidance in everyday activities like sitting and standing; the student learns to avoid unconscious habits and replace them with conscious movement and alignment. LINK: A detailed view of how this works
3) How does your organization support and connect Alexander Technique teachers across different regions in the Bay Area?	We host meetings for teachers, students and community to meet and mingle, work together and exchange ideas. They are opportunities for those unfamiliar with Alexander Technique to work with trained teachers. We are also working to expand outreach projects throughout the Bay Area as a way to increase public awareness.
4) Could you share a success story where the Alexander Technique significantly improved an individual's daily life or performance?	-          Consistent Alexander practices have helped to partly straighten severe scoliosis. -          A flute player who could no longer play due to shoulder pain is able to play again, and was applauded on tremendously improved breath support. -          A dancer who couldn't stabilize their rear ankle, when they stopped working so hard and released their leg into length, the ankle was suddenly solid and still. -          A medical professional wasn't taken seriously by colleagues because they weren't a doctor or nurse. When posture improved, so did poise and presence, and suddenly they were being treated with respect in the workplace. -          A student asked if I dealt with TMJ. I said I'd worked with it but had no special knowledge. They came for a lesson and I noticed their arm was incredibly tight; it had been shattered in an accident. It took only a few minutes to guide them to release some of that tension, and the pain in their jaw went away. -          A person living with Parkinson s Disease not only used the technique to help improve posture and balance, but was subsequently able to control hemi-facial spasms! LINK: More practial successes
5) What resources does your Reference Library offer to individuals interested in learning more about the Alexander Technique?	The Reference Library on our web site www.bayareaat.com provides links to articles on pain management, how the Technique helps musicians, and research studies.
6) How does the Bay Area Alexander Technique (BAAT) collaborate with the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) to promote awareness and education?	This is an ongoing evolution. We are working with AmSAT to establish a training course and education center in the Bay Area. BAAT is a regional chapter of AmSAT, through which we have non-profit status, allowing us financial flexibility and opportunities to work with other institutions and individuals. Our language and goals align with AmSAT, and all our teachers are AmSAT qualified. We consider ourselves partners in promoting the Technique and work together to increase Bay Area visibility. Our web site links to AmSAT s for more information and national listings of teachers, articles and events.
BAAT is run by a Committee of six: -          Bill Olsen -          Dana Ben-Yehuda -          Evelyn Hess -          Galen Cranz -          Jonathan Salzedo -          Lena Hart