Alexander Technique Speed Dating

Imagine this:

You have been granted 30 seconds of undivided attention from everyone in a group of your choosing to tell them something about the Alexander Technique that will make them want to get to know it better…maybe even intimately.

The group you choose can be as big or as small as you want – the whole world, everyone in your country, everyone in your city, whatever – the choice is yours.

The group can be as general or as specific as you want – everyone, adults, children, musicians, auto mechanics – again whatever you choose.

You can use whatever medium you want – a few lines of text, a short audio message, a short video, an image (or images) – whatever you want.

You can provide factual information about the Alexander Technique.

You can provide a personal account.

You can write a poem.

You can sing or play a song.

Anything you want that will take 30 seconds, or less, for your audience to absorb.

How would you use this opportunity?

***

If it’s going to be something written or a visual, please feel free to post it in a comment below and if I’ll do what I can to publicize it.

If it’s a audio clip, I’ll be glad to assist you in making it a micro-podcast for the Alexander Technique Podcast.

If it’s a video which requires some production skills, describe what you have in mind and maybe we can find a way to crowdsource it.

Please pass this page on to anyone you know who might want to take part in the project. If you want to get hold of me, you can use this contact page.

If you’d like some inspiration, one of the best sources is Made to Stick:
Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by the Heath brothers.

Think Big. Think Smart. Bring it on!

Image courtesy of Danilin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For a big live group, (more than fifteen people – the more the better.)Takes about 20 seconds, then you have a few more seconds to explain about the power of habit.
The following four numbered suggestions all communicate the same phenomena of how strong habitual routines are. Only one needs to be done to make the point. However, doing two of them is interesting in that, even after being “tricked” once, most people in the audience can be “tricked” the second time as well.

More of what I’d say after two of these four options are used….
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1. Ask the participants to say Stop! out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Then ask what do they do when they come to a green light? Most will say “stop” even though the correct answer is “go.”

2. Ask the participants to say “silk” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask the group, “What do big cows drink?” Most will say “milk” even though the correct answer is “water.”

3. Ask the participants to say “ten” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask them, “What are aluminum cans made of?” Most will say “tin” even though the correct answer is “aluminum.”

4. Ask the participants to say “joke” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask them, “What do we call the white of the egg?” Most will say “yolk” even though the correct answer is “the white.” An alternative to this is to have the participants spell “joke,” “folk,” and “poke.” Then ask them what we call the white of the egg.

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“Why did so many of you get tricked?”
Because if humans do something more than three times, we are already training a routine that will persist. We’re practicing it. Since what we just practiced is such a simple thing we think we already knew, it doesn’t take much for “Practice Makes Permanent!”
Now, think about how you have learned to do many things and how often you’ve practiced doing them. The challenge to change an established routine is pretty stiff.
Alexander Technique shows a way to be free of muscle memory routines. It’s something that takes practice just like playing a musical instrument does – but do you know anything else that can help you not get tricked by your habitual routines?

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Comments

Alexander Technique Speed Dating — 4 Comments

Pingback:30 Second Alexander Technique – 1 | Body Learning Blog
Franis Engel on July 23, 2014 at 6:15 am said:

For a big live group, (more than fifteen people – the more the better.)Takes about 20 seconds, then you have a few more seconds to explain about the power of habit.
The following four numbered suggestions all communicate the same phenomena of how strong habitual routines are. Only one needs to be done to make the point. However, doing two of them is interesting in that, even after being “tricked” once, most people in the audience can be “tricked” the second time as well.

More of what I’d say after two of these four options are used….
*********************************

1. Ask the participants to say Stop! out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Then ask what do they do when they come to a green light? Most will say “stop” even though the correct answer is “go.”

2. Ask the participants to say “silk” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask the group, “What do big cows drink?” Most will say “milk” even though the correct answer is “water.”

3. Ask the participants to say “ten” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask them, “What are aluminum cans made of?” Most will say “tin” even though the correct answer is “aluminum.”

4. Ask the participants to say “joke” out loud five times in unison. Count to three and lead the participants in doing this. Ask them, “What do we call the white of the egg?” Most will say “yolk” even though the correct answer is “the white.” An alternative to this is to have the participants spell “joke,” “folk,” and “poke.” Then ask them what we call the white of the egg.

***************

“Why did so many of you get tricked?”
Because if humans do something more than three times, we are already training a routine that will persist. We’re practicing it. Since what we just practiced is such a simple thing we think we already knew, it doesn’t take much for “Practice Makes Permanent!”
Now, think about how you have learned to do many things and how often you’ve practiced doing them. The challenge to change an established routine is pretty stiff.
Alexander Technique shows a way to be free of muscle memory routines. It’s something that takes practice just like playing a musical instrument does – but do you know anything else that can help you not get tricked by your habitual routines?

Reply ↓
D Jane Clappison on July 24, 2014 at 7:52 am said:

Wow Franis – GREAT way to do it!

Reply ↓
- Franis on July 24, 2014 at 7:40 pm said:
  
  Thanks, D Jane Clappison – Although it’s not as effective in writing. It would be better to film an audience reaction to having it done…which is a bit unbelievable. Everyone thinks, once they see it, that THEY wouldn’t be fooled. But it’s actually a principle of how habits are established. Even if you know about it, it still works on people. That’s why it works a second, third, even a fourth time with an audience.
  I enjoy introducing the power of habit as a first principle – because it shows a need and grabs people’s fascination.
  What might be your way of presenting A.T. to a larger group?
  
  Reply ↓

Body Learning Blog

Exploring the Alexander Technique and the Discoveries of F. Matthias Alexander with Robert Rickover of Lincoln, Nebraska and Toronto, Canada

Alexander Technique Speed Dating

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Alexander Technique Speed Dating — 4 Comments

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