Victoria Beckham Evolution Begins

Well, well, well... The latest gossip on the Alexander technique grapevine is that the Beckham family are getting into some quality "posture and core support" help. Who knows what definitions will be bandied around the next few weeks and months as the media watch her shape change, but what will be interesting is how long Victoria will persevere with the Alexander technique. 

Image courtesy JustJaredFor Alexander technique teachers who have battled to communicate with the general public what it is they actually do (or not do), this is a golden opportunity to learn the language of the mainstream. Yes, it's all very kosher in our profession to use the right terminology for what we teach, to not misrepresent the work itself, but as has been the case for the last 50 odd years, the rest of the world don't have a clue what we're talking about!

Michael Gelb put it well in our interview back in June (listen to it here) when he said that he wrote Body Learning in an effort to explain our complicated understandings and definitions for lay people, something that had been done so terribly by teachers in the past.

But now that Victoria Beckham has been reported to be unhappy with her rounded shoulders...and no doubt not very comfortable with her bunions from high heeled entrapment for so many years, let's watch how this major celebrity transforms as she learns the Alexander technique secrets to poise that so many professional actors have known for decades. (not to mention long term back pain sufferers who have solved years of pain and repetitive therapy)

So, if you start getting phone calls from people wanting to be just like Victoria asking to (as Marie Claire magazine puts it)  "strengthen core muscles and re-align the spine" just go about your normal practice of sticking to principle. Who really cares what brings new students through the door afterall? So long as they keep coming, the explanation they get when they arrive will soon sort the ones who want a quick fix from the enlightenment searchers.

And if you haven't yet checked out the new issue Group Learning, we've built some supplemental pages for the articles in the magazine with bonus live interviews. Here's one here for the article The Company You Keep.

PC