Who was F.M. Alexander?
F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) was a young Australian actor who suffered from recurrent voice loss on stage. When doctors were unable to help him, he set out to help himself, with the aid of several mirrors and a great deal of patient observation. He discovered that as he would begin to speak, he would massively tighten his whole body, most notably compressing his head into his spine, shortening his spine and constricting his larynx. After much experimentation, he discovered that changing the way he thought before he spoke could prevent this pattern of over-tensing, allowing his head to balance freely over his spine and his spine to lengthen upward. He also noticed great improvement in his breathing, posture and overall coordination. His voice recovered completely and improved dramatically, and he began teaching others how to understand the link between their own thinking and coordination.
F.M. Alexander was born in Tasmania. He was an aspiring actor until his voice began to break up on stage. As his condition did not respond to medical treatment, he began to suspect that he might be straining his voice when performing. In an effort to discover what he was doing wrong he began to observe himself in mirrors, first when speaking ordinarily then when performing, noting any physical difference between the two. From these pains-taking observations carried out over many years Alexander developed a Technique, which not only solved his voice problem but also brought about a remarkable improvement in his general health. Fellow actors began to come to him for help with their problems then doctors began to refer patients to him. In 1904, Alexander was encouraged to go to London to gain further recognition for his work from where his Technique spread worldwide.
