Evolution and Movement (Part 1)
"You translate everything—physical, mental, or spiritual—into muscular tension."
(F.M. Alexander)
The human body is in constant dialogue with its environment and stimuli. Each of these stimuli generates an immediate response in the individual, which can be subtle or energetic. According to Alexander’s statement, that response would be expressed as muscular activation in the body—essentially, the final result of a complex multisystemic interaction within the human organism. Becoming aware of this response offers the possibility of gaining a deeper understanding of how the body-instrument functions.
The elements described below, which highlight aspects of evolutionary and motor development, belong both to traditional areas of Alexander Technique training and to pedagogical experimentations in the classroom. To integrate and apply these elements into daily life, three key aspects are encouraged: keen perception (Observation), the creation of an action plan that aligns with the body's design (Inhibition), and the integration of these aspects through deep practice (Direction).
The principles developed by Alexander offer an integrative perspective that helps broaden the understanding of how the body is used as a whole. This perspective is also based on an empathetic and gentle approach to ensure that the assimilation of content is a meaningful experience. This process intentionally avoids two common issues in artistic training: first, the tendency to apply a judgmental perspective that lacks empathy for the natural learning progression, and second, an approach that prioritizes immediate results at any cost. These aspects highlight that this model values the process over instant outcomes..
The integrative vision of Alexander's model has been enriched over the years by other theories and practices that emphasize respect for the structure and integrity of the human body. In 1943, Irene Tasker, a teacher from the first generation of Alexander’s students, began teaching the Technique to anatomist and paleoanthropologist Raymond Dart. Dart was drawn to Alexander’s model due to the tension and exhaustion in his own body, but also because he sought help for his son, who suffered from cyanosis—a respiratory and cardiac condition that had resulted in brain injury and bodily spasms. (Nettl-Fiol & Vanier, 2011)
For performers
Understanding our motor possibilities as a species is closely linked to a person's expressive capacity, as movement is critical in communication. Expression through movement is a key component of nonverbal communication in performance. Whether words are present or not, the body’s materiality on stage and the movement that accompanies it serve as a communicative tool through which the audience can relate, identify, and be moved. Given the symbolic and semiotic complexity generated by body movement, this expressive repertoire becomes a refined language used by stage artists. For this reason, performing artists must take responsibility for the semiotic aspect of the body-instrument to ensure it conveys the desired message.
Tasker’s lessons helped Dart gain practical experience with Alexander’s model, leading to significant changes in both himself and his son. This learning process influenced Dart to write articles about his experiences. The most famous of these were "The Postural Aspects of Malocclusion" and "The Achievement of Poise." In these writings, Dart compared his paleoanthropological studies with Alexander’s model. It is worth noting that Dart is best known for discovering the "missing link"—the Taung Child skull. His discovery clarified the close evolutionary relationship between primates and humans.
Following this discovery, Dart began identifying evolutionary phases that are mirrored in the gestation and motor development of a person. Thanks to his interest in Alexander’s work and the curiosity of teachers Joan and Alex Murray regarding child development, a natural connection emerged between evolutionary theory and the principles developed by Alexander. This led to the study of motor development patterns aimed at re-educating the human organism to achieve movement efficiency. These movement patterns, which reflect evolutionary stages, are now organized into a sequence of movements known as the Dart Procedures. These procedures aim to restore neuromuscular connections by re-educating the body-instrument from an evolutionary perspective.
Dart suggested that locomotion and movement are developed, in general terms, because humans are a species constantly seeking safety, comfort, and love. Movement begins as a quest for stability, nourishment, or shelter. This aligns with Alexander’s work, which seeks to cultivate deeper kinesthetic sensitivity and self-awareness, both in action and at rest.
The Evolutionary Stages of the Dart Procedures
The movement sequence that comprises the Dart Procedures revisits the following evolutionary stages:
Embryonic and Simple Cellular Composition Stages: The body is organized in a fetal position, developing the primary curve of the spine. This stage also explores tubular development, which allows for bilateral composition (right-left), and is practised in the prone position (face down).
Stages Initiating Locomotion: Here, the development of limbs is observed, with the body organized in positions that represent fish and amphibians.
Extension Stages (Secondary Spinal Curve): When combined with the initial flexion, extension produces propulsion. This stage reproduces the spirals present in amphibians and reptiles.
Locomotion and Balance Stages: As movement begins, the points of support change, and the body starts to lift off the ground and crawl, representing the journey of quadrupedal mammals.
Balance and Verticality Stages: These represent the primate or the baby seeking independence in movement through various forms of support.
Human Verticality: The balance that sustains walking, running, jumping, and speaking.
Robin John Simmons, an Alexander Technique teacher and specialist in Raymond Dart’s studies, explains in his book The Evolution of Movement: A Guide to the Procedures Originated by Raymond Dart that the interest in evolutionary study lies in noticing the connection between movement abilities at different stages of infant growth and the movement abilities of vertebrates in various evolutionary stages—without necessarily implying an exact correspondence between human developmental movements and evolutionary descent. (Simmons, 2015) Thanks to our evolution as a vertebrate species, we have developed multiple locomotion and survival tools, such as bipedal walking, running, twisting, jumping, fine motor skills, and speech.
Dart proposed that body use depends on the degree of neurological organization—understood as the individual’s bodily and intellectual development. He also asserted that every person, whether an infant, athlete, or artist, possesses the same structural potential for development. (Dart, 1996)
It is important to note that within each stage of these procedures, variations will be observed that correspond to the development of specific and efficient individual motor skills. For example, practising embryonic stages, which explore the anterior curvature of the spine (flexion), can promote spinal expansion and release tension in the back. Practising the spirals present in the extension stage strengthens the connection with motor flow, which is essential in cases where continuity of movement and freedom of thought are hindered. Respiratory awareness is a constant in this work but becomes particularly emphasized during the locomotion, balance, and verticality stages—an especially important practice for vocal development.
Practising the Dart Procedures facilitates a detailed awareness of the body-instrument’s movement potential. Moreover, it offers solutions to unnecessary tension in any activity performed by incorporating gradual muscular activation in response to the demands of each evolutionary or postural stage. This practice can also foster confidence in the search for equilibrium among the internal and external forces responsible for maintaining vertical orientation while standing.
One of the clearest points of connection between Dart’s motor development research and Alexander’s model is the importance of the head as the initiating and guiding element of movement in the human body. The head's orientation is in constant adjustment in response to internal and external sensory stimuli that affect the rest of the body. In Dart’s studies, the head leads movement and, from an evolutionary perspective, houses numerous senses that provide orientation toward nourishment and comfort while preparing the body for survival. In Alexander’s work, the head is part of the Primary Control, a principle that describes the reflex pattern that activates the entire organism, a response that depends on head orientation.
Recognizing the fundamental role of the head in movement organization is crucial for understanding the functioning of the body. Directing the head forward and up prevents spinal compression and enhances respiratory function, establishing clear pathways for reducing unnecessary tension and preventing injuries while respecting the original design of the human body.
References
Alexander, F. M. (1985). El Uso de Sí Mismo. Barcelona: Ed. Urano.
Dart, R. (1996). An Anatomist’s Tribute to F. Matthias Alexander. Skill and Poise, STAT
Books.
Simmons, R. J. (2015). The Evolution of Movement; A Guide to the Procedures Originated by Raymond Dart. London: Mouritz.
Nettl-Fiol, R., & Vanier, L. (2011). Dance and The Alexander Technique. Exploring the Missing Link. University of Illinois Press.
