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Video Description

Walter Carrington Interview

Walter Carrington in conversation with Ruth Patterson

Walter Carrington was trained by FM Alexander, here he recalls FM’s teaching and personality and provides a fascinating insight into the early history of the Technique.

This is one of three interviews about the Alexander Technique made by Ruth Patterson in 1987. Ruth was a radio producer and recorded them at the instigation of her mother Amy Patterson, an Alexander teacher who had a wide-ranging library on the Technique. The recordings were overlooked for many years and only came to light on Amy’s death in 2016. Ruth Patterson has now donated them to the Trust so they can reach a wider audience. With thanks to Ruth for her work and generosity, and the late David Reed for editing the recordings. All recordings © FM Alexander Trust 2019

Please visit the general videos section or congress section for more Alexander Technique videos, many exclusive to the Trust website, please remember you need to sign-up ( its free ) and sign-in to see more than a small selection of the available videos, more videos are released every month, this month’s releases may be viewed here but please sign-in to see the full release list.

Alexander Technique – A Scientists Approach

Dr Christopher Stevens in conversation with Stephanie Smith

Chris Stevens was a teacher of the Technique for over 20 years. He researched various aspects of the human support mechanism and their relation to the Technique. This interview with Stephanie Smith was made shortly before his death and summarises his thinking on the Alexander Technique. © Stephanie Smith 2003

How Women Use The Alexander Technique In The First Year After Birth – Researcher Interview

Research on using Alexander Technique after having a baby, Nicola Hanefeld in conversation with Lesley Glover.

Part-funding for Alexander teacher Nicola Hanefeld to do a PhD at the University of Hull. Her qualitative research looked at how women use the Alexander Technique as a means of mindful self-care in the months after childbirth.

“How do women use their experiences of learning the Alexander Technique in the early postpartum?” funded in 2017, PhD completed 2021

Stony Brook Congress – Workshop with Patrick Macdonald

In this workshop Patrick Macdonald works with teachers from the group and demonstrates how we should get the “up flow” in the spinal column right, adding that you won’t find it easy to alter this by yourself.
Patrick Macdonald (1910–1991) was one of the foremost teachers of the Alexander Technique. He had lessons with FM Alexander from the age of 10, having been introduced to him by his father, a noted medical surgeon. He entered the first teacher training course in 1932 and upon graduation became an assistant teacher at Ashley Place. He began to train teachers at Ashley Place in 1956; his training course continued at Victoria and, in his final years, at his home near Lewes. In 1963 he gave the Alexander Memorial Lecture. His book The Alexander Technique as I See It was published in 1989.

Using Alexander Technique after having a baby – Nicola Hanefeld

Research on using Alexander Technique after having a baby

Part-funding for Alexander teacher Nicola Hanefeld to do a PhD at the University of Hull. Her qualitative research looked at how women use the Alexander Technique as a means of mindful self-care in the months after childbirth.

“How do women use their experiences of learning the Alexander Technique in the early postpartum?” funded in 2017, PhD completed 2021

Stony Brook Congress 1986 – Interview Patrick Macdonald – short version

This is only an extract – if you sign up (it’s free!) and then sign-in you can watch the whole video

In this interview Patrick Macdonald discusses that the teacher should have “up flow”, a good deal of upward direction going on in the body in the body which is then imparted to the pupil. He goes on to comment famously that in working with the technique, the first 65 years are the worst.

Patrick Macdonald (1910–1991) was one of the foremost teachers of the Alexander Technique. He had lessons with FM Alexander from the age of 10, having been introduced to him by his father, a noted medical surgeon. He entered the first teacher training course in 1932 and upon graduation became an assistant teacher at Ashley Place. He began to train teachers at Ashley Place in 1956; his training course continued at Victoria and, in his final years, at his home near Lewes. In 1963 he gave the Alexander Memorial Lecture.1 His book The Alexander Technique as I See It2 was published in 1989.

Stony Brook Congress 1986 – Interview Patrick Macdonald

In this interview Patrick Macdonald discusses that the teacher should have “up flow”, a good deal of upward direction going on in the body in the body which is then imparted to the pupil. He goes on to comment famously that in working with the technique, the first 65 years are the worst.

Patrick Macdonald (1910–1991) was one of the foremost teachers of the Alexander Technique. He had lessons with FM Alexander from the age of 10, having been introduced to him by his father, a noted medical surgeon. He entered the first teacher training course in 1932 and upon graduation became an assistant teacher at Ashley Place. He began to train teachers at Ashley Place in 1956; his training course continued at Victoria and, in his final years, at his home near Lewes. In 1963 he gave the Alexander Memorial Lecture. His book The Alexander Technique as I See It was published in 1989.

Alexander Technique And Sports – Unlocking Your Potential

The making of this video was supported by the Trust.

Alexander in Education

The making of this video was supported by the Trust.

Alexander Technique – The Performing Self

The making of this video was supported by the Trust.