Pamela is intrigued with the similarity found in F.M. Alexander’s writing in the early 1900s concerning breathing and Carl Stough’s writings over 60 years later.  Whether referred to as Stough’s Breathing Coordination, or as F.M. Alexander’s Re-Education of the Respiratory System, the process is similar and the desired end to be gained the same.

Breathing Coordination is a term coined by Carl Stough to reflect his discovery revealing the consistent synergistic operation of the muscles of respiration at maximum efficiency with minimum effort.

F.M. Alexander said, as early as 1906, there is a need for Respiratory Re-Education.  He defined this Re-Education as eradicating defects and coordinating the use of the muscles of respiration.

Both Carl Stough and F.M.Alexander recognized mal coordination of the muscles of respiration as contributing to unnecessary tension and rigidity of the thorax resulting in poor breathing.

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, describing the process she now teaches.

Ms. Wolf has developed The Art of Breathing through more than thirty years of teaching the Alexander Technique and a twenty years association 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 teaches the principles of the Alexander Technique 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.

Pamela continued her private studies with Jessica Wolf over the years and enrolled in the first 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 (2002-2003)

Pamela then assisted Ms. Wolf in teaching this course of study to other Alexander Technique Teachers in 2006 and 2010 and in teacher refresher courses in 2009, 2011.  There are now over 45 Alexander Teachers trained in The Art of Breathing.

The Art of Breathing is Breathing Coordination taught within the context of the principles of the Alexander Technique and is aimed to re-educate the respiratory system for maximum efficiency with minimum effort.  Pamela has witnessed huge leaps in artistic performance with her private students who are Opera singers, Pop/Rock singers, wind players, and actors.

For more information on the Art of Breathing, the Alexander Technique and Respiratory Re-Education contact Pamela at Blanc.Pamela@gmail.com or visit theartofbreathing.net.