The Actor’s Secret

Five Alexander Technique Tips for the Actor

by

Leland Vall, M.AmSAT

Certified Alexander Technique Instructor
New York, NY

It’s true. The Alexander Technique is the “Actor’s Secret.” It’s true because the Alexander Technique
is the one unified concept that delivers mastery of the actor’s most fundamental skills.

The Alexander Technique helps you to:

• Gain and maintain poise no matter your activity.
• Prevent habits of excess tension.
• Increase breathing efficiency.
• Move with greater ease.
• Speak with a clearer, stronger voice.
• Achieve a permanent feeling of openness.
• Break performance habits.
• Maintain a clear connection to the floor.
• Experience your own innate sense of lightness, the hallmark of the Alexander Technique.
• Reduce the chance of vocal, back, and other injuries related to posture and poor movement.

Altogether, the Alexander Technique gives you power to allow your talent and training to shine.
That’s why it is taught in the finest performing arts programs in the United States and Europe. Learn-
ing the Alexander Technique does require lessons or classes, but these tips can give you an idea
about what it is about and get you started. To find out how you can learn the Alexander Technique,
visit www.freeyourneck.com.

Vocalizing
To speak with more power and clarity, try thinking of your voice as a hood that rises up and over
your head. Avoid thinking of your voices as coming from under your chin. Alternatively, think of your
voice as coming out of the top of your head, as if your head is the bell of a horn.

Avoid thinking of your voice as coming
from your throat or under your chin. Notice
also in the above image the head pulling
back and down as the neck pushes forward
in order to produce sound.
Try thinking of your voice as a Try thinking of your voice as
hood that comes from the back coming from the top of your
of your torso and rises up and head as if your head is the
over your head. bell of a horn.

www.freeyourneck.com 1 of 3 ©2010 Leland Vall

Breathing
To increase breathing efficiency, try enjoying your exhale. Enjoying your exhale can help you build
trust in your breath which can help each breath last longer. Focusing on the inhale tends to shorten
the exhale and reduces efficiency. For more information on breathing and the Alexander Technique,
visit www.freeyourneck.com/html/breathing.html.

Exhale Inhale
These images show the diaphragm muscle inside the ribcage.

Posture
To improve your posture, as well as feel taller and more open, try thinking of your body as a foun-
tain. A fountain must be remade continuously. The shape may stay the same, but the composition
constantly changes. Your body is similar in that the many and various systems in your body (breath,
heartbeat, nervous system, etc.) must continue to sustain you every moment. Try thinking of your
body as filled with internal movement, rising and renewed every moment, like a fountain. For more
information on posture, take a look at Don’t Stand Up Straight, Five Alternative Posture Tip Based
on the Alexander Technique.

www.freeyourneck.com 2 of 3 ©2010 Leland Vall

Ease of Movement
To feel lighter and to bend more easily, try thinking of your body as an archer’s bow. Like a spring,
no matter how much you bend, think of your ends as always going away from each other. For more
information on this idea, take a look at An Arch Made of Arches.

Feeling Grounded
To feel more grounded, try thinking of the ground as rising up toward your feet. Sometimes actors
search for the ground by moving their feet. But if your feet are on the ground, you have already
found it. For more information on feeling grounded, visit this video exercise and this blog post.

Conclusion
The Alexander Technique gives you tools for breaking habits by giving you new options for perceiv-
ing your body and how you use it. A big part of acting is being able to make choices and not being
limited by preconceived notions. The Alexander Technique helps you feel more comfortable in your
body and opens a world of new choices every moment. I hope you experiment with these tips and
then try an actual introductory Alexander Technique lesson.

Leland Vall, M.AmSAT is a certified Alexander Technique instructor based in New York. He is the
author of The Secret to Using Your Body and he teaches individuals and groups how to improve
posture and to breathe, move, sit and stand with greater ease and strength. Find out how to feel bet-
ter every day and for the rest of your life at www.freeyourneck.com.
www.freeyourneck.com 3 of 3 ©2010 Leland Vall