Movement underlies all aspects of our playing. The integrity of our movement is therefore essential for our ability to produce the sound and musical expression we wish for. Body Mapping provides an accurate anatomical foundation for understanding balance and movement. It identifies misconceptions we may have about how we move, allowing us to correct movement habits that could lead to pain or injury. When we are free from these physical limitations, we experience a new sense of trust in our abilities as performers. This deeper autonomy during performance helps us develop a stronger connection with the audience and has a huge impact on alleviating performance anxiety.
We guide this process by developing kinaesthetic awareness through work with anatomical models, physical demonstrations, and movement exercises.
Body Mapping provides a particularly effective way for musicians to gain knowledge and awareness of the anatomical structures that foster the fluid movement that underpins a healthy and injury-free musical career.
Who is it for?
Performers will benefit from gaining more freedom of movement through enhanced anatomical and kinaesthetic awareness, whether they suffer from any pain or injury or not. A musician can practice diligently for many hours, but if there is a fundamental misconception (we call these “mismappings”) about how the body is structured or how it moves, the passage they are working on may never feel and sound as free or comfortable as they would like. The frustration that ensues can be as damaging to a musician’s confidence, and subsequently their ability to perform freely, as actual physical pain.
Instrumental teachers will gain invaluable information for their pedagogical practice from this knowledge. Body Mapping gives the teacher an anatomical foundation around which specific technical ideas can be developed with the student that support natural body motion. They will gain the tools to identify mis-mappings and support students that might be experiencing pain and/or limitations. We do not challenge any specific schools of technique but only wish to correct misunderstandings of our anatomy that might be causing problems.
Students of all levels will benefit from having the somatic training Body Mapping provides, giving them a healthy underpinning on their journey to becoming accomplished musicians as they develop their skills.
Anyone whose work involves movement – actors, dancers, acrobats…
Moving is the basis of expression. A solid somatic understanding of how we are structured and designed to move will increase freedom in all motions and gestures and enhance expressive communication in every faculty of the performing arts.
The Finely Tuned Musician 