Elyse Shafarman is certified through the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT). She has a private practice in San Francisco and Berkeley, CA, and teaches at American Conservatory Theater's MFA Program.

"I began my study of the Alexander Technique when I was 18, as a dance major at S.U.N.Y Purchase. My first teacher was Jane Kosminsky, who was also a dancer. Those early lessons affirmed the basic logic of the body as a structure designed to move at joints, designed to move without strain. I discovered that my body was more coordinated, flexible and expressive than I had previously allowed. The fascinating part for me, was that these changes did not come through muscular effort or striving. They were instead tied to the mental practice of preventing habitual impulses, and directing change through conscious intention. I find the Alexander Technique continues to be a simple and profound means to calming the nervous system, coordinating movement and opening energetic channels in performance.”

Elyse graduated from the Alexander Training Institute in 2003, completing 1600 hours of teacher training under the direction of Frank Ottiwell. During this time, she earned a Masters Degree in Physiological Psychology from San Francisco State University. For her thesis, she investigated the effects of Alexander Technique on muscle tension during computer use and presented her findings at the American Psychological Association (APA) annual meeting in Toronto.

Elyse has taught classes and workshops throughout the SF Bay Area. Venues include:

• American Conservatory Theater's MFA program, Summer Training Congress and Studio ACT
• Cabrillo College Dance Department
• The California Biofeedback Society
• Elephant Pharmacy
• The French American International High School
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• San Francisco State University's Holistic Health and Organizational Psychology Departments
• The San Francisco Somatic Wellness Program
• UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine

Elyse continues to study the Alexander Technique with her teachers Frank Ottiwell, Simone Biase and Larry Ball, while broadening her perspective through training in allied disciplines including Yoga, Gyrotonics; Mittendorf Breath Experience, Feldenkrais, Body-Mind Centering, and meditation. In her spare time, she dances Argentine Tango, and was recently awarded the TangoCalifia scholarship to attend Nora’s Tango Weekend.

Elyse is honored to help people from all walks of life find freedom in movement.