Functional Awareness Training

Functional Awareness® (FA) is a practical somatic approach that provides a series of explorations in experiential anatomy to:

• Enhance our understanding of movement function
• Facilitate ease in body action
• Improve dynamic alignment

Functional Awareness®: Anatomy in Action explores the relationship between the skeletal structure, the muscle structure and the myofascial tissue to sustain a dynamic elasticity and to promote efficiency of movement. It provides strategies to ease tension in daily movements as well as improve one’s practice in movement skills such as dance, yoga, running, and other physical training. 

Summer Study 2019

Strategies to improve dance training & self care for dance wellness

AGES	DATES	TIMES	ROOM	COST
18+	Monday, August 5 - Friday, August 9	10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.	TBD	$350 before May 1

Optional movement classes included in cost.

Daily Schedule:

• 8:45-9:45 a.m.  Yoga (Tuesday and Thursday)
• 10-11 a.m. Functional Awareness in Action: Bartenieff-based movement warm up integrating FA concepts through BF movement principles
• 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Functional Awareness embodied anatomy practices
• 12:30-1:15 p.m Lunch and discussion
• 1:15-2 p.m. Practical teaching applications of the morning session information
• 2-2:30 p.m. Practices in self care
• 2:30-3:45 p.m. (optional) Ballet with Catherine Horta-Hayden integrating FA into ballet technique

Day 1: Investigations in Embodied Anatomy, Postural Assessment, Skeletal properties

• Identify all the articulating bones in the human skeleton
• Learn/review basic anatomical terms, types of joints
• Recognize the role of daily movement habits movement training
• Tools and applications to develop full potential for spinal expressivity
• Simple practices for continued self care to enhance ease in action of the spine

Day 2: Breath, Core and Pelvic Floor

• Learn/review basic anatomical principles of the breathing mechanism
• Examine elements of core support practice explorations to improve function
• Recognize the role of habits for breath and core on movement training
• Tools and applications to develop greater potential of expressivity of movement in dance training through breath practices
• Practices for continued self care to enhance breath & core support

Day 3: The Pelvis and Hip Joint: The Conduit from Torso to Legs

• Investigate the basic structure and function of the hip joint
• Examine individual differences in hip structure and explorations to improve function
• Recognize the role of habits for hip action on movement training
• Tools and applications to develop greater potential of expressivity of required hip movement in dance training (i.e. developé, turnout)
• Practices for continued self care to enhance hip joint resilience and whole health

Day 4: Factors of Balance & the Foot, Ankle, and Knee

• Investigate four systems to aid in balance
• Identify key the skeletal and muscular features of the foot, ankle & knee
• Examine individual differences in structure and explorations to improve function
• Recognize the role of habit for the foot and ankle on movement training
• Tools and applications to develop greater potential for articulation of the foot and stability of the knee to enhance stabilizing the standing leg for balance & turns
• Practices for continued self care for the ankle/foot

Day 5: Factors of Expressivity and Stability of the Arm Structure 

• Learn/review key skeletal and muscular components of the arm structure
• Tools and applications to develop expressivity of arms in phrase work
• Simple practices for continued self care to enhance ease in action of the spine
• Examining the relationship of the arms and shoulders in loadbearing and non-load bearing (port de bras)

Summer Study Registration (Full-Week)

Monday-Only Registration

Tuesday-Only Registration

Wednesday-Only Registration

Thursday-Only Registration

Friday-Only Registration

 

Here is what people are saying about Functional Awareness® Anatomy in Action:

“…your workshop (Functional Awareness Anatomy in Action for Alexander Teachers) was incredible. You are organized, incredibly knowledgeable and well versed. Your workshop was jam packed with practical information and procedures. What I liked the best of all is your integrity, commitment and love of the work…that was so encouraging to me!!”
—Eve Silver M.AmSAT

“I wanted to tell you that we did the FA theraband activity for tendu today in my Ballet 4 class.  It worked like a charm.  All the dancers said they could feel the musculature they needed to support themselves and they felt more turned out.  The best part of all was that they felt strong and as a result, more confident.  The power and balance they took into the center floor was amazing.  It was one of our best classes this year.
“Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and learning with us.  I will certainly be back for more.”
—Maria Royals, Director of Dance at the Carver Center for the Performing Arts

“The concepts that I learned during the Functional Awareness workshop have come into play every day in both my personal and teaching experiences since I took the class.  One of the most powerful ideas that I have retained is that of encouraging my students to release held tension rather than suggesting an alternative posture that would merely end up substituting one tension for another.  It seems quite radical to think that our bodies might still intuitively know what to do, and how to be, if we can only get out of the way.
“Overall, I found the Functional Awareness workshop to be an extraordinarily useful filter which I am applying to almost every aspect of my physical life as a person and as an educator.”
—Sharen Camille Becker

For more information about Functional Awareness and Nancy Romita -http://functionalawareness.org/