UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Andrew Belser, director of the Arts & Design Research Incubator (ADRI) and certified Feldenkrais instructor, will teach a series of four “Awareness Through Movement” lessons, 5:30–6:45 p.m. on Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, and 23, in the ADRI (16 Borland).
Each class features a different Feldenkrais exercise or “lesson,” and involves gentle movements, done slowly with minimal effort, while paying attention to one’s own experience.
Belser, a professor in the School of Theatre, teaches movement, voice and acting. He is currently researching neurosensory perception, art/science collaborations, and the integration of movement and voice pedagogies into actor training. He is working closely with Dr. Joe Julian, the lead researcher in applied neuroscience in the ADRI, on "The Performer’s Guide to Applied Neuroscience," scheduled for 2019 publication by Routledge.
The Feldenkrais Method is a movement-based education method that reorganizes connections between the motor cortex and the body, thus improving body movement and well being.
“In my experience, this work feels good and makes real and lasting changes for people. My aim is to bring this work to the greater Penn State community, and I expect to teach many more of these lessons in the coming years,” said Belser.
This series is also a practice run for Belser’s research project with Jennifer Graham-Engeland, looking at using “Awareness Through Movement” as an intervention for a range of aging-related concerns. Graham-Engeland is director of the Stress and Health Lab in the Penn State Department of Biobehavioral Health. The project is funded in part by the Social Science Research Institute.
Registration is open to the public, but attendance is capped at 16 registrants per lesson. To register, visit http://bit.ly/EventBriteATM.
The Arts & Design Research Incubator (ADRI) provides support for high-impact arts and design research projects. Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 16 Borland.
All events are free and open to the public, but some do require registration, as space is limited. For more information, visit http://adri.psu.edu or call 814-863-5126. Connect with the ADRI at www.facebook.com/PennStateADRI.