Alison Jane Taylor

Alison Jane Taylor is a performer, music educator, Certified Alexander Technique Teacher, and a Supervised Student Therapist at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto. Her performing, teaching, and studies have taken her all over North America and the United Kingdom. Alison is a versatile performer as soprano soloist, with roles in opera, musical theatre, choral singing, and ensemble work. She frequently conducts workshops that explore the integration of voice, movement, and wellbeing. In addition to maintaining her private studio, where she teaches SenseAble Singing - a fusion of vocal technique, movement, and Alexander Technique principles - Alison teaches in various capacities in Toronto. Alison was recently on faculty at Toronto's George Brown College and Centennial College teaching Voice Work and the Alexander Technique as part of their acting programs. She continues to explore how arts education and the Alexander Technique can benefit people of all ages and experience. She offers lessons, workshops and presentations throughout Southwestern Ontario and across Canada. In the summer of 2016, she had the privilege of presenting Alexander Technique workshops for musicians at the Dramatic Vocal Arts Intensive in Sackville, NB (Vicki St. Pierre, founder). The skills of self-assessment Alison teaches can optimize a person’s performance, be it as a musician, actor, or anyone looking to move and live with more ease and vitality. Alison’s integrated voice and Alexander Technique teaching offers an experiential approach to address postural issues, eliminate unnecessary muscular tension, maximize breath and vocal efficiency, and enhance well-being. Through hands-on guidance and experimentation, Alison collaborates with her clients to uncover interferences in movement patterns that may be causing strain and pain. The SenseAble approach is about integrating the whole person’s experience by building awareness around how and why you move the way you do, in order to achieve overall health and well-being in all areas of life. Alison is very interested in the intersection of arts education, movement education, and psychotherapy, and continues to explore somatic education via many disciplines. She was recently a member of the Total Vocal Freedom for Singers Academy program, where she concentrated on the application of the Alexander Technique to singing and performance. Her attendance at the Alexander Technique 10th International Congress in Limerick, Ireland, in 2015, allowed her to work with esteemed teachers such as Michael J. Gelb, Vivien Mackie, and Caren Bayer. In July 2016, Alison completed the VoiceCare Continuing Education: Personal Voice Course at St. John University, Minnesota. Alison continues her professional development through studying Wholeness in Motion with Babette Lightner, where she is currently enrolled in the teacher training program. Alison is in her final year of the 5-year training program at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto to become a registered psychotherapist. Her therapeutic work offers clients opportunities to explore new ways of thinking, feeling, relating, and being in the world, from a safe and supported place, using bodily sensation and present-moment awareness as a way to be grounded. Alison became a Certified Alexander Technique Teacher in 2009 at the Toronto School of the Alexander Technique (Elaine Kopman, director). She earned her Bachelor of Music Degree and Bachelor of Education Degree from Western University in London, Ontario. Born in London, Ontario, Alison enjoys nature walks, board games, and baking. Connect with Alison online: https://linktr.ee/alisonjanetaylor Learn more about Alison’s work as a Supervised Student Therapist at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto: www.presentsensing.com