In Praise of Fellside
Nestled on the slopes of Kendal, beautiful gateway to the Lake District, lies Fellside, home of Cumbria Alexander Technique Training School.
I trained there, and it holds very fond memories for me. Not just for the range of teachers, and the skill with which they teach Alexander Technique.
The views are magnificent. Many a morning I’d find myself looking out of the broad, tall windows across Kendal to the old Castle on the other side.
I trained with some great teachers there….
Michael Hardwicke, who teaches beginners and advanced alike at Grange-over-Sands, and at Lancaster University, as well as being joint director of the Alexander Technique teacher training school here.
Michael has a wealth of patience and the strength to share his skill without judging. Michael is a master at teaching anatomy and regularly runs workshops and weekends in this beautiful town for the public and for trainee teachers – check them out.
Michael shares this mantel with Jamie McDowell, the other joint director. Jamie complements Michael perfectly with his detailed understanding of the working of the hands and wrists.
Jamie was previous chair of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, and brings a wealth of experience to teaching beginners and to trainee teachers alike.
Supporting Michael and Jamie is Vida Hedley, a movement and dance expert who studied at the Laban Centre and brings her joy of movement to the regular movement classes at the school. Vida’s classes were always a hit when I was there.
Also there’s Zohar Peleg-Hartley, brilliant at helping you feel more expanded and helping you be aware of yourself in true relationship to your surroundings.
And Joan Diamond, a massively experienced teacher who offer refresher courses to Alexander Teachers from all over the globe. I make recorded CD’s for Joan that are always very popular with the Alexander community.
And that’s all not to mention guest teachers who float in and out now and again from all over the world… Misha Magidov, Avi Granit, Patrick Gundry-White, Malcolm Williamson, Penny Ingham, Robert Taylor, Jean Clark, Rivka Cohen, Bernadette Riley, Joanne Thompson, Glenn Swift and other too many to remember. I’m grateful to each and every one of the brilliant Alexander Technique Teachers I’ve mentioned above. Next time you’re north of Manchester make sure to look them up. Each teaches from a slightly different angle, and each has something to add. So if you’re ever thinking of training to be an Alexander Technique teacher yourself, in this fascinating and infinitely rewarding field, then you can’t do better than checking out Fellside.
Come back soon, I’ll be talking about how different learning styles affect the way people teach and learn Alexander Technique, and how I implement these styles to make sure you learn the technique quickly and get to apply all the benefits it has to offer.
Bye for now,
James.