by Imogen Ragone and Ariel Weiss
Alexander Technique teachers most commonly train in groups and then go on to work in relative isolation as solo entrepreneurs. Philadelphia area teachers formed a collective that helps connect and support local AT teachers while building stronger bridges to the outside world. The benefits of this collaboration have proved to be far greater than we ever imagined.
Alexander Technique Teachers of Greater Philadelphia (ATTGP) was formed in 2012 as a consortium for local AT teachers. The founding dozen or so members were interested in meeting regularly to exchange work and ideas, share resources and feel connected to our local AT community. Membership is open to all AT teachers and monthly exchange meetings are hosted on a rotating basis by members and continued through the pandemic online.
As part of our collaboration we have done outreach in the community, such as introductory workshops at an REI store and at the Philadelphia Flower Show, as well as offering continuing education opportunities for our members by bringing in visiting teachers, both online and in person.
In response to the pandemic, ATTGP launched their first International Online Alexander Technique Summit in October 2020. The inspiration was to find a way to leverage the internet to foster interest in Alexander Technique while in-person teaching was not an option. The premise was built simply: offer a week-long platform for people to attend a variety of Alexander Technique workshops free of charge. The initial offering was such a resounding success with almost 500 people participating from several different countries and continents around the world that it has now become an annual event.
The Summit has grown over its four-year history and hosted 23 workshops with over 600 people participating from all over the world in January 2024. The feedback from participants has been robustly enthusiastic. In addition to exposing new folks to the Technique who otherwise wouldn’t have access, the Summit has also become a place for our AT peers and colleagues to gather, explore and learn from each other. It is an important feature of the Summit that the sessions welcome and are accessible to all students - from absolute beginners to people who have been studying, or even teaching, for many years.
One unique aspect of our process is not only that we collaborate to produce the event - but also how we collaborate - the means whereby of our collaboration. ATTGP membership is open to all AT teachers, and each member has full agency to teach the way they choose. Because our Summit is not affiliated with any specific AT societies, the breadth, diversity and crossover of teaching styles has been a hallmark of the event. ATTGP members volunteer to present workshops, provide technical assistance for other presenters, and attend each other’s presentations.
Creating a supportive and open culture for ATTGP members impacts the Summit by building an event that highlights inclusivity and diversity – there is innate permission to explore for participants and presenters alike.
Another key way we build a culture of inclusivity for the Summit is that the entire week of events is offered free of charge. This creates accessibility for anyone in the world with access to the internet – across socio-economic, cultural, age and ability parameters. Presenters volunteer their time and expertise with the support from ATTGP. Member presenters gain exposure through ATTGP’s promotion of the Summit, leading to many positive outcomes for their individual businesses, in addition to strengthening our local AT community and creating more awareness of AT around the globe.
ATTGP has further leveraged the momentum built by the Annual Online Summit by adding a monthly series of low-cost online workshops. This has added consistency for our programming and online presence. Additionally, these monthly workshops offer additional teaching and exposure opportunities for our members, and most importantly provide a low-risk opportunity for continuing study for our growing audience.
Ultimately, the Annual Online Summit has proved to be a rewarding and successful endeavor for our local community as well as our global community. By coming together to share our resources, time, and talents we have created a space to draw new interest from around the world to the Alexander Technique, strengthened our own connections locally and globally, supported continuing education for our members and our colleagues, and helped grow our own individual businesses. By modeling this cooperative and inclusive project, we hope to encourage and inspire future projects that can build bridges to connect our AT communities to the world.
Join the Fifth Annual International Alexander Technique Online Summit
Save the Date
We are pleased to announce that our next Summit will take place the week of Monday, January 20th through Saturday, January 25th, 2025.
You can find information about the Summit, and sign up to be informed about this and other ATTGP events at: alextechgreaterphila.com. We’d love to have you join us.
About the Authors
Ariel Weiss
Ariel is a founding member of ATTGP and is an ATI Sponsor. She has been teaching AT in Philadelphia since 1988 and previously trained teachers at The Philadelphia School for the Alexander Technique and co-produced the Freedom to Make Music Conference. Ariel teaches online and in person at The Curtis Institute of Music, the University of Delaware and Crosslands retirement community and coordinates a Wellness Program for surgeons at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her TEDX talk Posture myth-busting: it’s easier than you think was released in 2021. Ariel is pleased to serve as co-site coordinator for the 2025 ATI Annual Conference and will also be a Continuous Learning presenter at the 13th International Congress in Dublin 2025. www.atphila.com
Imogen Ragone
Imogen is a founding member of ATTGP and also serves as its administrator. She is a certified teaching member of AmSAT and has been teaching AT since 2006. Over the years Imogen has developed her own unique approach, BodyIntelligence, that offers a path to embodied mindfulness that is gentle and non-coercive. This means it is particularly accessible and effective when you are feeling stressed, and makes it especially valuable to traumatized people. In addition to her private in-person practice, Imogen has been successfully working with clients online, both individually and in groups, since 2014, and specializes in working with women who are dealing with chronic stress or trauma. More info at imogenragone.com
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