Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Zhang.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Leah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up with pretty poor posture and a habit of slouching. As a taller than average teenager I was used to people telling me to “stand up straight” because my posture made me look like I was collapsed and slumped. Unfortunately, when I tried to “stand up straight” I found that be to be exhausting and energy draining because it required a lot of physical muscular work. I would “stand up straight” for a couple of minutes and then fall even harder into my habitual slump or slouchy posture. When I first started to take Alexander Technique lessons over 16 years ago, it was because one of my college professors recommended it as a way to recognize my habits while performing on stage. I was getting a BA in Theatre at the time. After I started to take lessons, I started to notice that it not only helped my performance awareness but this Alexander Technique was also starting to change my posture and the way that I held my body. With more lessons I was able to greatly improve my posture and to release tensions in my shoulders, back, and neck that were a result of me unnecessarily holding muscles and compressing joints.
After about 20 lessons, I noticed that I no longer had the burning sensation and tension in my shoulders that I had felt through most of my early college days. I was much more relaxed physically and I could see a big difference in my posture. After college I continued to graduate school where I got a Masters in Fine Arts in Acting Performance at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. I continued my Alexander Technique training throughout my two years in graduate school because this technique helped me tremendously with being more physically present and relaxed on stage. After graduate school I continued my Alexander Technique training by starting the rigorous 3-year program to be a certified teacher of this technique. Since getting my teaching certification, I have helped many people with their posture and movement. My students include computer users, actors, singers, writers, musicians, athletes, chronic pain sufferers and teachers. I enjoy my work as an Alexander Technique teacher because this technique has helped me tremendously in being more comfortable and poised in my body, but I also enjoy helping my students find the same ease of movement and release of tension and pain that I found.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I love my work because I use it in my life every day. I can relate to my students’ desire to get out of pain and be more aware in their body and movements because I traveled the same road. I can relate to trying too hard to have “good posture” and experiencing muscular pain because I had bad posture and habits. I practice what I teach and enjoy helping my students gain a deeper understanding of their movements and habits. I think my struggles along the way were always related to how easy it is to fall back into my own habits of movement and thinking.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I teach the Alexander Technique through private lessons and group classes. I teach at either a studio in mid-city Los Angeles or Santa Monica. I usually recommend a series of 10 lessons for someone who is new to this technique and interested in learning how to release tension and experience more ease in movement and posture. I also teach a small group class, which is a great and affordable way to learn this technique. I think the group classes are great for learning about our habits and movements by watching others who might have similar patterns of movements as us. This group class is special because it’s limited to 4 students so that everyone gets a lot of individual hands on work. It’s one of the only group Alexander Technique class offerings in Los Angeles and it’s very affordable.
I usually recommend taking two 4-week group classes to get more comfortable with this technique. I am also a Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist which means that I have a lot of experience working with students who have chronic pain from computer work and office work environments. I also offer group introduction classes to theatre companies, acting schools, businesses and other groups interested in learning about better and more comfortable posture. One of my specialties is group training. I was invited to speak at the 2014 National Ergonomics Conference and Expo about the Alexander Technique and it’s benefits in workplace ergonomics training.
Pricing:
- $80 Private lesson (50 minutes in length)
- $180 4-week group class (75 minute group class for 4 consecutive weeks)
- $110 Semi-private lesson shared with one other person (65 minutes in length)
Contact Info:
- Address: Alexander Technique with Leah Zhang
1501 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA - Website: www.leahteachesalexander.com
- Phone: 323-963-4318
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @leahteaches
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahteachesalexander/
- Twitter: @leahteaches
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