EN
Translate:
EN
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
The Developing Self Team
Judith Kleinman AGSM. MSTAT.
Judith trained as a musician at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama going on to play with the LSO, English National Opera and CLS. Judith went on to train to be an Alexander teacher with Mr Macdonald and Shoshanna Kaminitz qualifying in 1989.
Judith is one of the Alexander team at the Royal College of Music and head of department at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. She is also an assistant head of training at LCATT (London Centre for Alexander Technique and Training).
Judith has collaborated with Sue Merry for the last twenty years on how to connect the world of Alexander with Education and create a thoughtful training for AT teachers interested in working in that world. Judith wrote ‘Alexander for Secondary and Tertiary Education'.
Judith co-wrote ‘The Alexander Technique for Musicians’ with Peter Buckoke, published by Bloomsbury 2014 and recently co wrote a “Handbook for young musicians” for 11 to 14 year olds.
Judith has sat on STAT council and coordinated the STAT Education Special Interest group. She has produced five short films on different aspects of Alexander in Education and collaborated to create the Education section of the STAT website . She regularly writes articles, gives workshops and talks on Alexander in Education in Europe, USA and Gt Britain to the public and the Education world.
Judith also teaches Yoga and Tai Chi and lives in London with Peter Buckoke and their two sons whom they home educated for 10 years.
Sue Merry ATI
Sue is generally recognised as a pioneer and world expert on teaching the Alexander Technique to children aged 3-11 in a school environment.
Sue began her ground-breaking work with children in 1994 in a local primary school where she began to devise unique ways of teaching that aimed to integrate the work into the regular school day. In 1997 she was a founder member of Educare Small School in Kingston upon Thames, UK. At Educare she evolved ways of integrating Alexander work seamlessly into the school day. This enables regular teaching staff to carry on the work whether or not an Alexander teacher is present. She took some elements from other, complementary disciplines, and used them to help to teach and reinforce the Alexander principles. The aim being to make the learning accessible and, above all, fun.
Sue has written a very popular adventure storybook for children aged 7-12. The book teaches and reinforces AT principles while telling a gripping and funny story. It is available from Amazon in print form and also as an e-book "The Labyrinth of Gar"
She has also written the definitive training manual for Alexander Teachers wanting to work with children. "Alexander in Primary Education"
Sue still regularly teaches at Educare but mostly now focuses her attention on training and helping other Alexander Teachers to carry on with this work, both at Educare and beyond, and on documenting and promoting the work of this unique school for future generations.
Sue also teaches the Alexander Technique to riders and horses. EquiPosture
Read More History and How to Introduce the AT to your Primary School
Peter Buckoke
Peter Buckoke
Peter Buckoke
Peter Buckoke oversees the Alexander department at the RCM, where the technique is embedded in the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Peter is also professor of double bass at the RCM and plays both modern and baroque bass with various chamber groups in London. He is a founding member of The Schubert Ensemble of London, winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s 'Best Chamber Group' award, and has often been invited to play with other small chamber groups when they need a bass player for larger repertoire, including the Nash Ensemble and the Alberni, Allegri, Arditi, Chillingirian, Coul, Dante, and Endellion string quartets and the London Handel Players. In 2006, Peter was invited to an international double bass convention at The China Conservatory in Beijing, to represent European bass playing. He was invited to return to the China Conservatory and Shanghai Conservatory in December 2017 to introduce the Alexander Technique to the university level students. Another invitation from Shanghai Conservatory, has resulted in the creation of a short Alexander course for their postgraduate students.
Peter is a qualified craniosacral therapist. This work is beautifully compatible and complimentary to Alexander Technique. The balance between education and treatment is the opposite to Alexander lessons, i.e. the theraputic element is greater in CST.
In his spare time, Peter looks after 14 colonies of honey bees.
Andy Smith
Peter Buckoke
Peter Buckoke
Andy teaches Alexander Technique at Uppingham School and in his private practice in north London. As a former sports journalist and county-level sportsman, he has a particular interest in movement and performance and he also teaches Alexander-inspired running technique.
ABOUT ME
My particular area of interest is in helping people perform – whether that's with a musical instrument, on a sports field or just in everyday life.
I am qualified 'Art of Running' instructor, having studied under Alexander teacher and athletics coach Malcolm Balk to teach his S.M.A.R.T. Running method. And as a former county-level sportsman and big sports fan, I am interested in how AT can streamline sporting technique and reduce the risk of injury.
I'm also an enthusiastic supporter of the work that AT can offer education. In September 2016 I began teaching Alexander Technique at Uppingham School in Rutland, working with both music scholars and non-musicians aged 13-18, as well as their successful cross country team. Elsewhere I have helped run group AT workshops within secondary schools and am part of the 'Alexander in Education' group for AT teachers looking to widen the remit of our work. Furthermore I have assisted in the Alexander department at the Royal College of Music in London and have worked individually with professional and amateur musicians to improve efficiency and refine technique.
The Developing Self USA
Elizabeth Castagna
Elizabeth Castagna
Elizabeth Castagna
- The Developing Self USA was launched in 2022. This is the creation of DS USA graduates Elizabeth Castagna and Gabrielle Czaja. They hope to pull together USA teachers who have an interest in working in schools. We acknowledge that the specific issues faced in the US education system sometimes differ from the UK system. This enables USA teachers to discuss and plan how to approach schools and how to promote this work in the US. They are setting up regular Zoom meetings for interested teachers. You can contact them via email: thedevelopingself.us@gmail.com
Elizabeth Castagna, is an ATI Certified Alexander Technique teacher. She trained with Master Teacher Chloe Wing in New York. Elizabeth is also Certified in The Developing Self to teach The Alexander Technique to children and young adults. She studied with founders Sue Merry MSTAT and Judith Kleinman MSTAT AGSM. Currently, she teaches private lessons, group classes and workshops in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
Elizabeth’s introduction to The Alexander Technique sprung forth from her wanting to have a child, Immediately she found that her Alexander Technique lessons with Chloe helped her come out of all the fear she was navigating around pregnancy. And at the same time reconnected to her body wisdom, and intuition. The Alexander Technique continued to be a core support for Elizabeth through her pregnancy, the birth of her son and postpartum. Integration from AT helped her son with his spacial, and sensory awareness. Her journey continued to grow inspired by her son as he moved into school and Elizabeth had the opportunity to teach AT to the teachers at his school as well as “AT Lab” to the children ages 5 - 10 in a weekly class. She also co-founded Move + Play with Sophia Jackson, fellow AT teacher and mom. They taught together for a few years group classes for children in schools and other settings.
Elizabeth Castagna
ATI Certified Alexander Technique Teacher
The Developing Self Certified Alexander Technique Teacher
Craniosacral Balancing Practitioner
Manhattan + Beacon NY
917 656 7007
www.elizabethcastagna.com
Gabrielle Czaja
Elizabeth Castagna
Elizabeth Castagna
Gabrielle Czaja, PT, M.ATI, M.AmSAT is a physical therapist and holistic educator. Her greatest joy is guiding people to optimal health and empowering them to thrive and succeed throughout their lives. Training as an Alexander Technique teacher was a milestone in her life and journey as an educator and healer. In her private practice in Washington DC, she helps adults and young people recover from injury and pain and most importantly, develop sustaining self-care skills.
Gabrielle is especially passionate about guiding young people towards their full potential. Certified to teach Alexander Technique to children, young adults, and in schools, through The Developing Self Alexander in Education Foundation Course, she is also certified in Jessica Wolf’s Art of Breathing. Gabrielle teaches group workshops to middle and high school faculty, parents and students.