FM Alexander

FM Alexander was a Australian actor at the turn of the 20th century. He found that he was struggling with losing his voice during performances, and after visiting doctors and specialists with only temporary success, he began to wonder if the problem wasn't actually something he was doing. After in-depth self-exploration and observation, he discovered that how he was using himself as he spoke (in his case, pulling down on his head and neck, thereby pressing on his larynx) was causing him to lose his voice. He also discovered that if, in the moment just before he spoke, he paused, he could then allow his head and neck to be free (and not compressed down onto his spine). This discovery changed the quality of his use throughout, ultimately preventing his loss of voice and leading to the foundation of his technique.

Resources

Tommy Thompson - Alexander Technique Center at Cambridge
Debi Adams - Alexander Technique at The Boston Conservatory
David Gorman - LearningMethods
Alexander Technique International
The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique