Performance Enhancement
As a performer in music, dance or drama, your body is instrumental to your performance; a successful performance relies on it working efficiently. The demands of hours of practice can have detrimental effects on the health and wellbeing of your body and while performing, anxiety can trigger tension and overthinking. Pain and anxiety will detract from your overall performance.
The Feldenkrais Method® helps you to explore easier ways of moving, enabling you to find a freer and more sustainable way of practising without incurring injury. Through the process of moving, breathing and thinking the method helps you deal with the physiological responses to performance-related anxiety. This can free you to focus your attention on your performance and connection with the audience.
Centre yourself, think clearly, get into the zone
Yeu-Meng working with pianist Rachel
The benefits for Musicians
Feldenkrais for Musicians in Pain
Testimonials
What performers are saying
At a recent gig with the Humphrey Lyttelton Band at the Bulls Head in Barnes I was playing drums and experienced a severe cramp in my right hand. It was fortunate for me that Yeu- Meng Chan was in the audience and during the interval she gave me the Feldenkrais® treatment which was very beneficial. I was able to feel a relaxation of tension and am happy to say that the second set was much easier. So far I have had no more problems and so a big thank you Yeu-Meng.
Adrian Macintosh
drummer, Humphrey Lyttelton band
I initially investigated Feldenkrais® as a result of continued frustration that my fingers ‘weren’t doing what I wanted them to!’, but from my first session with Yeu-Meng it became clear that the body sometimes needs the space to feel what you ‘want it to do’ as it gets stuck in well-trodden tracks, keeping it from experiencing new sensations. With Yeu-Meng’s creative and inquisitive approach I have built stronger connections with my fingers, but also found new approaches to managing performance anxiety and the general physical and mental stresses of being a musician.
Heather Ryall
Clarinettist, MA student at GSMD
I am so grateful for Yeu-Meng’s teachings – as a performer, my body and its presence are extremely important. Feldenkrais is the perfect class to keep me present and tuned into my body in a mindful way. It has taught me to listen to my body and given me an authentic body connection in a world where it is easy to become a talking head. I am very pleased to have discovered this beautifully gentle and powerful practice. I can’t ever see myself being without Feldenkrais®! The classes are a total joy and I always leave with a feeling of aliveness and peace.
Josephine Rogers
Actress
As a saxophonist with hypermobility syndrome, I have found the Feldenkrais Method® an essential life tool to manage the pain associated with the condition.
Prior to trying the Feldenkrais Method®, I had experimented with many other forms of treatment, but found they only had short term benefits. However, the Feldenkrais Method® encourages a different way of functioning, which replaces unhelpful habitual movement. On top of this you learn movements to ease specific symptoms when they flare up. As a result, over time, your pain reduces.
I feel very privileged that I have been able to work with Yeu-Meng. She is an intuitive practitioner and I cannot recommend her enough!
Anna Cooper
Saxophonist
I am a professional singer and have found that the Feldenkrais Method® has helped me to find new pathways of communication within my body and an increased range of movements.
As a singer this is very significant. For example, I now have the ability to change the way that my rib cage, collar bones and hips interact. This has increased the freedom in my air supply and as a result increased the resonance and range of colours in my voice.
I also have more choice about how I stand, sit or move whilst singing which in turn gives me strategies for dealing with the difficulties of unusual stage direction or other external restrictions that might occur during performance.
I highly recommend Feldenkrais® to all singers. As with all aspects of technical development it can take time and repetition to develop the new awareness but once you have found it you will have this amazing tool for life.
Lucy Legg
Classical Singer
My exploration of Feldenkrais® has been an awakening experience. I now feel able to work on tension and tightness which I never knew existed.
Paul Tame
Pianist, Actor, Dancer
I found each session incredibly stress relieving. At one point I felt an ability to breath so deeply, that I could feel my whole body let go. After all the sessions there was a definite physical and mental state of lightness. It’s an extremely powerful and subtle therapy that everyone could benefit from.
Clare Foster
Jazz singer
Yeu-Meng's workshop for musicians was highly enjoyable and I would certainly recommend to anyone looking to improve aspects of their performance. A 'before and after' performance from everyone enabled us to see instant benefits from the lessons in the workshop.
Jon Griffin
pianist, guitarist, singer/songwriter
Yeu Meng’s workshops are a delight - her patient, humorous approach encourages you to engage with the Feldenkrais Method®, overcoming any natural scepticism you might have. She puts a lot of work into a getting variety of techniques across for re-learning the way your body works, overcoming long-ingrained habits and helping you to move with more grace and ease.
Paul Milnes
Jazz Pianist
The Feldenkrais Method® has had a noted effect on my piano playing with sessions on and off over approximately 18 months in regard to awareness of my posture, movement and coordination at the keyboard. It is helping me make great strides in improving my musicianship skills alongside practice and study at the piano.
Chris Kibble
jazz pianist
I wanted to thank you and Jo for running the ’Playing with Ease’ workshop at Benslow Music, it was brilliant and very enlightening. I would definitely recommend Feldenkrais® to my friends and other players having been on the day. I have also been thinking about the things that we learned whilst playing and while at work and started to notice habits that could be changed to help with general movement. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm.
Nicola Claiden
Flautist