Alexander Technique

SONYA WALGER PREPARES WITH JEAN-LOUIS RODRIGUE AND THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE TO EMBARK AS A MEMBER OF THE CAST FOR ABC'S FLASH FORWARD. SERIES PREMIERE: Thursday, September 24th

Sonya Walger knows first hand the many benefits of the Alexander Technique as a way to prepare for her role opposite Joseph Fiennes in ABC's new series FLASH FORWARD. She started working with Jean-Louis Rodrigue last spring, focusing on discovering the body, mind, and the complicated emotional life of a trauma surgeon living in Los Angeles.

Sonya Walger

Sonya continues to practice the Alexander Technique to maintain her balance and stamina through a very demanding shooting schedule. The series main story line involves a mysterious global event which causes everyone to black out simultaneously for two minutes and seventeen seconds, and each person sees a glimpse of their lives six months from now. When they wake up, everyone is left wondering if what they saw will actually happen.

Series premiere:
Thursday, September 24th 8/7c, ABC

http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward/about-the-show

KRISTOF KONRAD IN BURN NOTICE, July 30, 2009

Kristof Konrad as Milovan Dragas in USA's Burn Notice

Working recently as an actor with Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Westen, Bruce Campbell, and Sam Axe on BURN NOTICE, Kristof had one of the most interesting times in creating the character of Milovan Dragas, a dangerous international criminal . The director of the episode, Félix Enríquez Alcalá was very interested in bringing out ease and danger in the physicality of Milovan. Once again, using the Alexander Technique and its kinesthetic awareness, which is very strong in animals and small children, Kristof was able to create a behavior which was animalistic, cunning and unpredictable with a great sence of humor. The wonderful writing in this episode was done by young and talented Rashad Raisani.

The Season 3 Episode 8 of Burn Notice is titled, "Friends Like These," and first aired on the USA Network on July 30, 2009. The guest cast included Callie Thorne (Natalie Rice), Kristof Konrad (Milovan Dragas),

http://www.usanetwork.com/series/burnnotice/

THE BERLINALE TALENT CAMPUS INVITES JEAN-LOUIS RODRIGUE ONCE AGAIN TO MENTOR FILMMAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, February 11-21, 2010

Berlinale Workshop

The Berlinale Talent Campus at the Berlin International Film Festival once again has invited Jean-Louis Rodrigue to participate in the 8th Talent Campus in 2010.

Last year's Berlinale Talent Campus which took place at the Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin-Kreuzberg, is a summit of the most talented up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world and is the brain child of Dieter Kosslick, Artistic Director of the Berlin International Film Festival. This year Jean-Louis Rodrigue was invited to present his hands-on master class called "Embodying the Character", designed for actors, film directors, and other filmmakers invited to Berlin each year to work on their film projects and be mentored by world class experts in the film industry.

Tilda Swinton

Film experts last year included among many others Stephen Frears, Bertrand Tavernier, Wim Wenders, Tilda Swinton, Janusz Kaminski, and David Hare.

The Campus is an annual event that takes place parallel to the Berlin International Film Festival. The Campus and its participants benefit greatly from their proximity to the main festival centre and the European Film Market (EFM).

Jean-Louis Rodrigue at the Berlinale Workshop

The 350 young students or graduates from film schools and/ or film professionals early in their careers are invited to learn from top experts through lectures, seminars and workshops, and have the opportunity to build international networks.

Wim Wenders

The special focus for the 7th edition of the Berlinale Talent Campus was "Suddenly It All Happened – The Turning Point in Close-Up!" David Kosslick explains that "This year the Campus will focus on turning points, this driving force not only in storytelling and filmmaking but also in history itself. The fall of the Berlin Wall was for example a picture-book turning point which took place in this city but eventually influenced the whole world."

David Hare, Daniela Thomas and Dieter Kosslick

One of six hands-on programs, Jean-Louis offered the possibility to enhance talent projects and as Kosslick says "Especially your workshop Embodying the Character was a great experience for the talents who attended the campus. We want to thank you for your generous and enthusiastic support of this year's campus."

http://www.berlinale-talentcampus.de

Janusz Kaminsky

JOHN FARMANESH BOCCA DIRECTS "PERICLES REDUX" AT THE KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE, July 2009.

John Farmanesh Bocca is the director of Not Man Apart – Physical Theatre Ensemble and Shakespeare Santa Monica. For the past three years Jean-Louis Rodrigue has been teaching the Alexander Technique for the two-week Shakespeare intensive which also includes movement training by John and text work with Louis Scheeder from New York University Tisch School of the Arts Classical Studio.

"Pericles Redux" is described as An Epic Shakespearean Odyssey performed by a cast of athletic performers on a bare stage, whose bodies transform the space into the vast and mythic backdrop of a timeless story. In the artistic tradition of Grotowski, Pilobolus, Fellini, Cirque du Soleil and Monty Python comes an innovative brand of storytelling. Not Man Apart – physical theatre ensemble and director John Farmanesh-Bocca present an electrifying reconstruction that literally flies from the sublime to the ridiculous.

www.notmanapart.com

THE MANY FACES OF KRISTOF KONRAD.

It has been a very busy and creative time for Kristof this past year. Several young and upcoming film directors have cast him in their daring and very independent projects. In "Cosmonaut" Kristof plays Ivan, a Russian cosmonaut in the 1960's who is the victim of a technical error and is lost in space. This was a very intense and challenging project since the only other character in the film was the space capsule. In "Sunspots", Kristof plays an 1893 cowboy vigilante with a heart of gold and his own way of getting to the truth. Kristof's last project was called "The Symbolical Head", a period, dark fantasy about Dr. Gustav Holtz, a psychiatrist who is competing with the Talking Cure of Dr. Freud. Kristof also appears in the upcoming film "Angels and Demons" directed by Ron Howard to be released on May 15, 2009.

MAJOR STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL FINDS THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE MOST EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING BACK PAIN.

August 23rd, 2008 cover of BMJ

A recent study funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund finds long-term pain can be relieved through study of the Alexander Technique. The study published in the British Medical Journal, tested different back pain treatments using patients from 64 general practices in England . A total of 579 patients with chronic pain or recurrent low back pain participated; 144 were given “normal care”, 147 had massages, 144 took Alexander Technique lessons. Half of each group was also prescribed an aerobic exercise plan, primarily walking.

The team of researchers, from the University of Southhampton and the University of Bristol , evaluated participants before and after treatments by two primary measurers. First, researchers measured disability, based on questions about activities limited by pain. Secondly, researchers asked about the number of days in pain in the past four weeks. After a year of treatment, patients receiving Alexander lessons reported experiencing just three days of pain, compared to 21 days for those given normal care by their doctor. The patients who saw the biggest improvement were the ones who took the Alexander Technique lessons and also were prescribed an exercise plan. The improvements still held after one year, while massage’s benefits waned after three months.

Leaders in the field of mind/body medicine and behavioral sciences throughout this century have supported Alexander’s innovative research. Clinical studies have shown that the Technique improves breathing capacity and posture, modifies stress responses and is, for those who suffer from chronic pain, the preferred method for long-term relief.

BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL STUDY:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/aug19_2/a884

ARTICLES ABOUT STUDY:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7568948.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/(...)reducing-back-pain.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/(...)/health.healthandwellbeing
http://www.webmd.com/(...)back-pain?src=RSS_PUBLIC
http://news.yahoo.com/(...)/back_pain_dc
http://uk.reuters.com/(...)idUKLK32331020080820

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE PROGRAM FOR MUSICIANS TAUGHT BY JEAN-LOUIS RODRIGUE AT THE NEW UCLA HERB ALPERT SCHOOL OF MUSIC, 2008-2009.

Herb Alpert

The Herb Alpert Foundation has given UCLA a $30-million endowment pledge to establish the cross-disciplinary UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. The endowment will bring the university’s departments of ethnomusicology, music and musicology under a single umbrella for the study of performance of world, popular and classical music, jazz and other genres. Tim Rice, the Director of the school confirms that the Alexander Technique is a perfect example of the mission of the new school in offering programs that are cross-disciplinary and that benefit all in improving their well being as students and musicians. Taught by Jean-Louis Rodrigue, the Alexander Technique program begins this Fall. Herb Alpert himself has studied the Alexander Technique with Jean-Louis, and knows from experience the effectiveness of the work on improving health and musical performance.

THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE MAKES AN IMPACT ON BROADWAY AND OFF-BROADWAY

Sally Murphy (standing on right) with Deanna Dunagan, Rondi Reed and Francis Guinan in AUGUST:OSAGE COUNTY

Extraordinary acting is now happening in three plays about dysfunctional families on Broadway and Off-Broadway, by a group of actors who have been studying the Alexander Technique over the years with Jean-Louis Rodrigue. Sally Murphy is a long time member of the Steppenwolf company and is currently starring in the Broadway hit "AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY" by Tracy Letts. Sally came to study with Jean-Louis several years ago after a experiencing an injury during a performance of "Carousel". She studied the Alexander Technique for several years and recovered completely from the injury. The play has received wide acclaim and the New York Times confirms that "The cast does not have a weak link, and the other major female roles, in particular, are rewarding and perfectly played. Ms. Murphy’s sad-eyed Ivy has a plaintive tenderness that occasionally flares up into a defensive assertion of the justice of her needs." Bravo Sally.

Harold Pinter's 1967 Tony Award-winning Best Play returns to Broadway in a new production under the direction of Tony Award-winner Daniel Sullivan (Rabbit Hole, Proof). Undoubtedly Pinter's most sexually provocative work, THE HOMECOMING is an edgy and compelling tale of lust, seduction and deception, telling the story of a dysfunctional family that welcomes the homecoming of its estranged brother and competes for the attention of his dangerously alluring wife.

Eve Best, Ian McShane, and James Frain in The Homecoming

James Frain, who has been studying the Alexander Technique with Jean-Louis, plays Teddy, the oldest brother in the family and the husband of Ruth, played by amazing Eve Best. The New York Times hails the extraordinary cast: "IAN MCSHANE is dazzling in Harold Pinter's masterpiece. The fine cast also includes benchmark performances by the remarkable RAUL ESPARZA and EVE BEST, who is an absolute knockout. MICHAEL MCKEAN gives a beautifully calibrated, heartbreaking performance as the proper, dutiful Sam. And the relatively unknown GARETH SAXE and JAMES FRAIN are superb as the dopey, brawny Joey and the disdainful, uxorious Teddy."

Bo Eason performing in Runt of the Litter

"RUNT OF THE LITTER", the one-person play written and performed by Bo Eason and directed by Larry Moss is currently running at the 37 Arts Theater in New York. Bo has been studying the Alexander Technique for several years with Jean-Louis and is an incredibly disciplined actor. He describes the work in the following way: "As a professional athlete and now a performer on a different stage, I know the importance and the power of the body. The body is how we communicate twenty-four hour a day. Your words may lie, but the body always tells the truth. Jean-Louis has helped me uncover the truth in my body— and gives me the power and security and permission to express myself as an actor on a whole new level." Jean-Louis literally choreographed many of the moments in the play and this is what Michael Criscuolo of NYTheatre.com had to say: "Eason’s career as an athlete has served him well for the stage. Not only are his emotions always near the surface and easily accessible to him, but he’s also very in touch with his body. He moves smoothly, gracefully, energetically, without fear or embarrassment. He’s very physically expressive, has a lot of fun, and knows what his limits are. All of these factors help serve his performance, which is superb. He has an ease on stage that is rarely seen even in seasoned veterans, and charisma that is riveting. He commands the stage with his every word and move."

http://www.runtofthelitter.com

http://www.augustonbroadway.com

http://www.thehomecomingonbroadway.com