July 12-13
12:00 PM-4:30 PM EDT
5:00 PM-9:30 PM BST
6:00 PM-10:30 PM CEST
7:00 PM-11:30 PM IDT
"I’m looking forward to teaching this workshop! I'll be sharing a set of Feldenkrais lessons that focus on one of Dr. Feldenkrais' most brilliant insights about human movement, learning, and neuromuscular organization. These are some of the most profound and transformative Feldenkrais lessons I have ever experienced. They will engage your brain at its core, foundational level and improve the way your nervous system organizes and coordinates itself. I hope that you can join me!"
~ David
Join Senior Feldenkrais Trainer David Zemach-Bersin for two days exploring a principal idea at the heart of the Feldenkrais Method. David will be assisted by Feldenkrais Trainer Raz Ori.
The first organism with a pair of muscle fibers evolved over 100 million years ago. It survived because these two primitive "muscles" worked in a sophisticated agonist-antagonist relationship that gave the organism distinct advantages. Most importantly, it set the stage for the pairing structure of nearly all subsequent muscle evolution and function. Moshe Feldenkrais understood this dynamic and viewed it as crucial to well-organized movement. He referred to it as both 'a fundamental property of movement' and as a dynamic that underlies 'the principle of oppositional movement.' The idea of oppositional relationships between pairs of muscles was not simply theoretical, but played a significant role in Feldenkrais' compositional strategies in the creation of both Functional Integration and Awareness Through Movement lessons.
Each Awareness Through Movement lesson in this workshop will demonstrate and evoke the reorganizing effect of well-regulated oppositional movement. When our capacity for oppositional movement is inhibited, significant stress is placed on our musculature, and our comfort and ease of movement is severely compromised. You will gain improved access to your ability to counterbalance within action, and learn how to apply these essential principles.
Some of the Abilities Influenced by Well-Organized Oppositional Movement:
- The Ability to be in a State of Dynamic Equilibrium
- The Ability to Counterbalance Effectively
- The Ability to Self-Organize for Better Acture
- The Ability to Organize Movement from Your Center
- The Ability to Maintain an Effective Base of Support
- The Ability to Reduce Muscular Co-Contraction
- The Ability to Sense Kinesthetic Differences
- The Ability to Move in Cardinal Directions with a Minimum of Effort
- The Ability to Apply Force Effectively
- The Ability to Maintain Free Movement of the Head and Neck
- The Ability to Maintain Effective Skeletal Support
- The Ability to Reduce the Influence of Past Patterns
"David shares his deep understanding of Dr. Feldenkrais' work - all secrets unveiled. In a class with David, I'm totally and completely focused on my increasing awareness experience. I'm shocked that I learn so much and so quickly in David’s classes. What revelations about being human!"
-N Leistiko (Feldenkrais Practitioner)
Registration includes:
- Six to eight Feldenkrais lessons
- Discussions
- Live post-workshop Q&A with David & Raz
- Assistance during the live lessons, if needed
- Information to help you adapt the lessons to alternative positions
- Lifetime access to recordings and option to download
Payment Options
- Feldenkrais Guild members save an extra 10% with the coupon code ESSENTEN
- Feldenkrais trainees save an extra 20% with the coupon code ESSENTWENTY
Need-based tuition reductions are always available. Find out more by reading about our Scholarship Program.
Unfavorable exchange rate? If you live in a country with an unfavorable exchange rate and want to join us, we're happy to help.
About David
David Zemach-Bersin is a world-renowned Feldenkrais Teacher and Trainer whose warm, encouraging style reflects nearly five decades of helping people to heal and improve. As a graduate of the first U.S. Feldenkrais Teacher Training Program in 1977, David had the privilege of studying directly with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais and has since dedicated his career to helping others find solutions to their physical challenges and access more of their potential. David has contributed to developing the field through training and mentoring new generations of Feldenkrais teachers and is also committed to expanding the public's access to the benefits of this important approach. He is the co-author of RELAXERCISE (HarperCollins), a popular introduction to the Feldenkrais Method. Currently, David serves as the Director of Feldenkrais Access, where, since 2020, he has been developing innovative online programs for both the public and Feldenkrais Practitioners. He lives with his family in Connecticut's Farmington Valley.
About Raz
Raz Ori, Practitioner and Trainer of the Feldenkrais Method, is the Educational Director of the Feldenkrais Training Programs in Ann Arbor Michigan and Palermo Sicily. Raz is also a guest Trainer for training programs in Israel, Germany, Italy, France and the UK. He graduated in 2001 from the Tel-Aviv Feldenkrais Professional Training Program and trained for two more years with Yochanan Rywerant, one of Dr. Feldenkrais’ first students. Raz runs The Ramat-Aviv Feldenkrais Center, where he teaches Awareness Through Movement classes and gives individual Functional Integration lessons. Raz gained clinical experience working for 15 years at Clalit Integrative Medicine, part of Israel’s largest public health provider. He has also worked at the Sheba Medical Center with disabled war veterans suffering from chronic pain, phantom limb pain, PTSD, and head injuries. Raz is also a certified JKA practitioner working with special needs children. He teaches advanced trainings and conducts online mentoring groups. Raz lives in Tel Aviv with his wife and children.
