Q: What do you do at Element and how long have you been there?
A: I teach the Alexander Technique, which means I help people apply their natural intelligence to undo unwanted physical habits, which can lead to lasting improvements in posture, body tension, and even confidence, surprisingly. I’ve been teaching at Element for over a year.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your background… and how you came to do what you do at Element.
A: Okay, let me just get this out of the way: My wife and I won the Newlywed TV Game show in 2011. Beside that brush with afternoon cable TV fame, I have lived an everyman’s existence in Brooklyn for eight years. I came to the Alexander Technique when I became seriously injured and temporarily disabled in my mid-20s. I used the technique, as well as other mindfulness approaches, to heal my body and to process the stress of being in chronic pain. My personal experience with injury and pain has inspired me to help others with the physical, emotional, and mental conditions of pain.
Q: What makes your practice satisfying/fulfilling for you? What is the most misunderstood aspect of what you do?
A: It’s hugely satisfying when students realize that they don’t need to reject themselves or try to be perfect in order to tap into their natural uprightness and vitality. My teaching embodies the idea that well-being is inherently within us and we just need to connect to it. The opposite idea of this is the most misunderstood thing about the Alexander Technique – that teachers are posture police and that I’m going to smack your back with a ruler if you slump (I don’t even own a ruler!). The other misconception is that posture is just sitting or standing up straight. Well, that would be a boring profession!
Posture is a much more sophisticated and interesting pursuit – the original meaning of the word includes our emotional attitude. How we carry ourselves in our bodies not only expresses what’s going on in our minds, but it allows our physical habits to actually reinforce and influence our habits of thinking and feeling.
Q: If you could tell a prospective/new client one or two things that are crucial to know about your practice, what would they be?
A: I would tell them that learning the Alexander Technique is like learning how to speak French or play tennis; it’s a skill that they can walk away with for the rest of their life. The other thing I would tell them is that they will have fun! We bring a lot of kindness, curiosity, and humor to the lessons. (See question #3: no rulers.)
Q: What do you like do when you’re not at Element?
A: I like to ride my bike through Brooklyn, I’m working on a book about the Alexander Technique and my process of working with pain, and I have a regular meditation practice. I also spend a lot of my time walking through my apartment wondering where my 22-month-old daughter put my things.
About Dan
Dan Cayer is a nationally certified Alexander Technique teacher working in the field of pain, injury, and stress. He received his teaching certification from The American Center for the Alexander Technique in New York City. After a serious injury left Dan unable to work, or carry out ordinary tasks like using a phone or open mail, he began studying the Alexander Technique. His return to health, as well as his deep experience with the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of pain, inspired him to help others. Dan now teaches the Technique as a method of recovering balance and well-being.
Dan has shared his firsthand experience of how this process can bring relief to seemingly intractable physical or psychosomatic challenges in workshops across NYC, Las Vegas, and in the UK. He demonstrates with passion and playfulness how to apply the Alexander Technique in everyday life. Look for him on Twitter @dan-cayer.