Ideokinesis: A Creative Approach to Human Movement and Body Alignment

by André Bernard with Wolfgang Steinmüller and Ursula Stricker

Mabel Elsworth Todd pioneered ideokinesis in the 1920s.  Her book, The Thinking Body, described ways to use all the senses as well as inner feeling and imagination to retrain the body to move with ease and balance.  The system became an invaluable tool for generations of dancers, actors, and performance artists thanks to the contributions of one of its most important teachers, André Bernard (1924-2003).  This book presents a lengthy interview with Bernard, an introduction to ideokinesis and two meticulously detailed transcripts from his workshops.

About the Authors
André Bernard (1924- 2003) was a professional actor who appeared in numerous New York City theater and dance performances.  He also held an array of on-air positions with the National Public Radio Station (WNYC) in New York.  He became a student of Barbara Clark in the late 1940’s and together they devised pedagogy for teaching her interpretation of Mabel Todd’s approach in group settings.  Through his adjunct faculty position at New York University and private studio and academic summer workshops in California, Germany and Switzerland, his teaching was a major influence on the evolution of post-modern dance education.  As dedicated students in Bernard’s workshops in Europe, Wolfgang Steinmüller and Ursula Stricker assisted with the development and publication of the text.

Product Details
ISBN (Softcover):  978-1-626549-44-9
ISBN (Ebook):  978-1-583945-83-4
Publisher:  North Atlantic Books
Publication Date:  2006
Product Description:  Softcover, 6 x 9
Language:  English
Number of Pages:  224
Illustrations:  46 B/W photographs, 6 line drawings
Price: Softcover – $19.95; Ebook – $13.00
Available for Purchase:  North Atlantic Books