Penny
McDonald

He has influenced the likes of Dame Judy Dench and Australian cricket royalty and his pain relief technique is taught across the world but few Tasmanians would have heard of Frederick Alexander.

Alexander, born in Wynyard in 1869, was the inventor of the Alexander technique a mind/body/posture therapy still used 150 years after his birth.

While there is now a paper sculpture of Alexander in Wynyard he still remains a somewhat unknown quantity in his home state.

He was, however, recognised in the book: 200 People Who Made Australia Great, which was published for the Australian Bicentennial Celebrations in 1988.

Penny McDonald, practitioner and teacher of the Alexander technique, organised a gathering of teachers from around the world to mark his birthday this weekend.

She is also planning to establish the state's first Alexander technique teacher training course.

The technique focuses on the unconscious habitual ways in which people function - their patterns of posture, movement, and responses to stressful situations - and how to have conscious control over that.

"This amazing Tasmanian developed a self-help method that has given actors, musicians, singers and dancers a freedom in their art, and for the millions of people around the world who have pain or discomfort," Ms McDonald said.

"To celebrate this milestone birthday near where he was born is a fitting tribute, both to the man and to this beautiful part of Tasmania that had such an impact on his life,

"His early years there sowed the seed for what would become the technique now being taught around the world by more than 4000 teachers."

"Learning this technique gives you the tools to use your body, do activities more efficiently and find freedom from pain or discomfort," she said.

AT lessons reduce tension in repetitive and/or strenuous activities, such as bending, lifting or typing, and in skilled activities, including dance, music, acting and sport.

Many actors and musicians have studied the AT, including Sting, Paul McCartney, Hugh Jackman, Dame Judi Dench, Paul Newman, Barry Humphries and Madonna.

Penny McDonald is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Alexander, inset, who founded the Alexander technique.

Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES