PAMELA BLANC teaches the Alexander Technique in Los Angeles, California and can be reached at The Alexander Teaching Studio at 310-470-2993 or through her e-mail address Blanc.Pamela@gmail.com.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 

Over the past 30 years, Pamela Blanc has established herself with distinction as a prominent teacher of the Alexander Technique.  

Ms. Blanc has a private practice in West Los Angeles and frequently travels giving lectures and presentations on the Principles of the Alexander Technique.  Living in Los Angeles brings many actors, musicians and singers into her practice. However, she knows the overall benefits of the Technique reach far beyond enhancing performance and her practice also brings computer programmers, writers, financial advisors, aerospace technicians and engineers, puppeteers, athletes, psychiatrists, psychologists, monks, teachers, children, set designers, dialect coaches, students, gardeners, newscasters, and other Alexander Technique teachers.  

Throughout her career Pamela has taught in the Music & Theater Departments of universities, including currently the Music Conservatory of the College of Arts & Sciences at Chapman University and the South Bay Children’s Choir at El Camino College; and previously California State University Northridge (CSUN), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and The Theater School at University of Southern California (USC).  

In addition Ms Blanc has been a faculty member of OperaWorks since 2000 and has taught Master classes for California School of the Arts (CalArts), The Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, The New World Symphony, The Colburn School of Performing Arts, The International Festival of Movement and Dance on the Volga in Yaroslavl, Russia, The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum and this summer, 2010, the Arizona State Music Educators and the National Storytelling Convention.  

Ms. Blanc is a Founder and Member of the Board of Directors of the Alexander Training Institute of Los Angeles (ATI-LA), established 1987.  She was a Senior Faculty member and a Director of Training from 1988-1997.  Currently she oversees Continuing Education Programs for Alexander Technique Teachers at ATI-LA and hosts an Alexander Book Study Group for Alexander Teachers.

Ms. Blanc, active in the National and International Professional Alexander Technique Societies presented at the 2008 International Congress of the Alexander Technique in Lugano, Switzerland and has been invited to be a guest Continuing Learning Teacher for the 2011 International Congress.  

Pamela Blanc was awarded the Certificate of Merit from the American Society of the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) for her commitment to the organization and having served as Chair of its Training Directors Committee (1998-2008).  She will be presenting a workshop for Alexander teachers at this year’s AmSAT Conference. 

CONTINUING EDUCATION 

Committed to continuing education, Pamela has continued her depth of learning with Senior teachers of the Technique whenever possible.  She both takes workshops and teaches them at Alexander conferences nationally and worldwide.  

The Art of Breathing, a phrase used by F.M.Alexander in an article published in The Auckland Star, New Zealand, July 20, 1895, and more recently used by Jessica Wolf, an Alexander Technique teacher in New York, to describe the process she now teaches. Ms. Wolf has developed The Art of Breathing through her thirty plus years of teaching the Alexander Technique and more than twenty years of studying with Carl Stough, who developed an in depth understanding of Breathing Coordination.  She has brought the pioneering efforts of these two men to a new refined level. The Art of Breathing focuses on the principles of the Alexander Technique as applied to the knowledge of Breathing Coordination. 

Jessica Wolf introduced Pamela Blanc to the principles of Breathing Coordination in 1998. In April 2000 Pamela had a series of five private lessons with Mr. Stough.  More lessons were scheduled but, sadly, Carl passed away in October 2000.  

In June 2003 Pamela completed the Graduate Training Program in The Art of Breathing at the American Center for the Alexander Technique, New York City under the Direction of Jessica Wolf 

In 2006 and again in 2010 Pamela assisted Ms. Wolf in teaching this course of study to other Alexander Technique Teacher. (Click on Breathing Coordination for more information and to find a list of teachers trained in The Art of Breathing.) 

The Foundation of Ms. Blanc’s Alexander Technique Education 

Pamela began having private lessons in the Alexander Technique in 1975 with Mr. Frank Ottiwell and graduated from the American Center for the Alexander Technique in San Francisco in 1979 under the direction of Mr. Ottiwell and Mr. Giora Pinkas,  

Curious about the various styles of experienced Alexander teachers, looking for the similarities, and committed to her own continuing education after graduation, Pamela pursued her studies with the following Alexander Technique teachers all of whom trained with Mr. Frederick Mathias Alexander (1869-1956). 

Pamela studied with Mr. Patrick Macdonald while in training (1976-1979) during his annual teaching trips from London to San Francisco and later as a teacher in Los Angeles. 

Over a ten-year period Pamela studied with and hosted many of Marj Barstow’s visits to California as well as traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska numerous summers to study with her there.    

Walter and Dilys Carrington also came to California in the late 70s and early 80s to teach the Technique and Pamela continued her relationship and studies with them by traveling to London whenever possible to have private lessons, sit in on their training program (March 1998) and study on their summer teacher refresher courses. 

Pamela had the pleasure to befriend Dr. and Mrs. Barlow during the First International Congress for the Alexander Technique in 1986 in Stony Brook, New York.  Pamela remained in contact and had private lessons with Marjory Barlow on later trips to London. 

Not many, but very memorable were the private lessons Pamela had with Ms. Peggy Williams.  What a delight. 

All of these Alexander Technique teachers who were trained by Mr. Alexander have passed away.  They were incredible individuals each of whom had a keen understanding of the importance of this work and passed it on to the next generation of teachers with generosity of spirit and great encouragement.