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A Sad Announcement
Glenna Batson
In late August, TBI received the very sad news that Glenna Batson had passed away. Robin Gilmore, a longtime friend and colleague of Glenna, and generous contributor to our website, wrote that she had been suffering with leukemia for more than a decade. This summer, Glenna chose not to receive further treatment and died in her home under hospice care. Her husband asked for Robin’s help with composing statements about her professional legacy. Robin also helped organize several events celebrating her life and contributions to somatic movement education.
When asked to compose something about Glenna for the TBI website, Robin initially responded with these insights:
Trying to talk about Glenna in a concise way was a challenge given the scope of her work. She was the personification of a “multi-hyphenate!” In fact, here’s how Glenna described herself on the back cover of her last book, “Artmaking as Embodied Enquiry: Entering the Fold,” co-authored with Susan Sentler.
Glenna Batson, ScD, PT, MA, has worked at the intersection of dance, movement science and somatic education for more than five decades as a movement muse, scout, guide, mentor, advocate, artist and friend, teaching embodied practices to anyone eager to engage and co-create.
This is Robin Gilmore’s Tribute to Glenna Batson — 11/25/2025
Glenna Batson lived a passionate, inquisitive, artistic life. Much can and will be written about her many contributions to the fields of dance, somatics and neuroscience. I was fortunate to know Glenna as a mentor, friend and colleague for more than 40 years. During that time she traveled the globe and shape-shifted while maintaining integrity and humility. Glenna never repeated herself, although every so often she would proclaim, “That’s it. I’m ready to take a break and do nothing.” Inevitably, she would then launch into another major project such as pursuing a Doctorate in neuroscience or conducting research as a Fulbright scholar. Her close friends could only chuckle as Glenna simply could not gather moss.
Glenna was always in motion as a dancer and bridged the fields of somatics and physical therapy while passing on her knowledge to generations of students. During our long friendship, Glenna always had my back personally and professionally. She could always cut to the heart of any situation. Years ago I was in a car accident that resulted in whiplash and severe pain. As an Alexander Technique teacher I was distraught by my lack of mobility and sensation. Glenna came to my house to offer hands-on help. When I said I felt that I’d lost my kinesthetic sense, she said, “Robin, you haven’t lost anything. Your sensory awareness is just preoccupied with healing.” Those words have stayed with me and allowed me to grant myself patience and mercy when stressors are high.
In 2004, Marsha Paludan and I co-founded CBAS, an Alexander teacher training program in Greensboro, NC. At that time Glenna was living nearby in Durham and was a regular guest teacher throughout the program’s 18 year run. I had the opportunity to be both co-teacher and student soaking in Glenna’s ever-evolving genius. When Marsha was incapacitated by several strokes, Glenna rallied to support me as I took over running the program while also continuing to honor Marsha, who lived for ten years in a nursing home until her death in 2018. During one visit to CBAS, Glenna asked the trainees to write a one sentence definition of the Alexander Technique. They thought it was a trick as AT and other somatic practices can be difficult to describe in words. After hearing some informative but long winded answers, Glenna shared her definition: “It is the art and science of embodied living.” Poof! Glenna personified that triad of art, science and embodiment in every undertaking. She vibrated at a high frequency and now leaves behind vapor trails that shimmer with her brilliance.
Dearest Glenna, your work here is done. Now you can rest.
With love,
Robin
Robin Gilmore, MFA, ATI, is an internationally recognized Alexander Technique teacher, dancer and somatic specialist with 40+ years experience teaching in universities, conferences, and private practice. She is the author of What Every Dancer Needs to Know About the Body (GIA Publications). Robin currently teaches Somatic Practices in the Dance Department of the Peabody Institute, Johns Hopkins University. The course was formerly taught by none other than Glenna Batson. www.chesapeakealexander.com
Here is another wonderful tribute written by Ray Eliot Schwartz, M.F.A. of Duke University:
Remembering Glenna Batson: A Life in Motion, a Legacy in Embodiment
https://danceprogram.duke.edu/news/remembering-glenna-batson-life-motion-legacy-embodiment
Learn more about Glenna’s study and teaching of Ideokinesis in the essay she prepared for the Education section in our website: https://thinkingbody.org/tb/education/batson/