The Chancer Takes a Chance

Years ago, a Journalist from a popular “alternative cool” magazine called “Kokoro” – which means “Heart” in Japanese – came along to BodyChance’s studio in Meguro to do a feature on our work.

I suggested she come and watch “the Chancer” - thanks to Carol Ervine for my new nickname! - running a Basic Course class. Basic Course is the program we offer in Japan to the Public.

***SIDE BAR ***

BTW: the name of your group is important, even critical.

Calling our public offering “Basic Course” immediately suggests a higher level…

“And, yes, we have a higher-level Sir – Pro.”

the teacher answers…

Sometimes people join Pro, because they perceive it as the premium service – nothing to do with wanting to be a teacher. Good.

Running a successful group will at one point depend upon appealing names and contexts. I will be exploring that “set-up” of structuing your group, towards the end of my upcoming 8-week course. Anyway, I digress…

*** END SIDEBAR ***

The journalist settled down to watch Chancer’s class in “Alexander Technique” which – as my faithful readers know by now – looked NOTHING LIKE the “Alexander Technique” FM pursued in his black and white film.

Instead…

My first lesson was with a young lad who worked in a food shop.

He wanted to know how to handle the stress of an angry customer. That was fun – one the class members played a boisterous obachan (middle-aged lady). She was the genuine thing - superb at complaining - the whole class roaring in laughter, as she demolished the poor boy.

The lad got very flustered, shrinking himself in endless bows and apologies – being quite ineffective as a listener.

Now time for his Alexander review with the Chancer:

“Does it help when you shrink like that?”

“NO” and a little smile of recognition from the lad.

Human mammals can wake up rather easily to what they are doing.

“Then how about we play the scene again moving this way?” the Chanceor asks…

…as I combine my touch with words, to invite him to bow into a more integrated and holistic movement.

Very different scene. Like theatre.

The obachan said later: “I just couldn’t keep complaining when he looked at me like that!”

Happy faces.

Next a ballet dancer, struggling with a leg split on the floor. Funny story, but we finally figured out what the anatomical problem was. Briefly, she was rolling her pelvis to create a movement of extension at the hips, flexion in the lumbar (like a slump) while SIMULTANEOUSLY rolling her whole torso forward to flex the hip joint!

Insanity – trying to go two ways at the same time.

As soon as we got her pelvic/spinal movement in sync with her intention, there were gasps around the room, as she moved inches past her previous leg split, face down on the floor.

As class went on it’s merry way, a frown was slowly building up upon the Journalists face.

“Oh dear,” I thought “Whatever can be the matter?”

I should have known. The mystery of it. The unfathomable, hidden depth.

When I finally came to chat with her after the class, the Jornalist blurted out:

“OMG. That was amazing. BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? I don’t know what to write about!!! What is the Alexander Technique?”

And I got it that day.

Why we struggle. Why she struggled.

When you teach groups as I advocate, there is no fixed form.

A group class becomes almost an entertainment, a drama being fed by the worries, passion and needs of the members of your group.

Your teaching art arises from your empathy; it arises from your ability to listen, to react in real time; it arises from your courage to stand in the presence of the unknown, and let your group unfold in its own mysterous way.

No future, no past – just this student, this need, this moment.

In my 8-week group series, I begin at this place. The empty. The void – that is filled by the magic of Alexander's discovery, the magic of Nature, the magic of curious humans looking deeper into their mammalian nature.

The journalist was right – there really is nothing that resembles a group exploring Alexander's discovery. It is a new phenonomen in our world.

The Chancer’s Group Teaching Discovery Course