Better Backs - Get Back in Shape
SpeakUP - Intro to Public Speaking
Private lessons by appointment
Instructor: Maya Plentz
Professional dance training: Centre Internationale de la Danse, Merce Cunningham Dance Studios, and Alexander Technique Teacher Trainings in Israel, New York, and San Francisco.
Mrs. Plentz incorporates innovative approaches to movement reeducation, to engage postural reflexes, and her classes are informed by the latest research in neuromuscular science. If you want to enhance your athletic performance, conquer your fear of public speaking, get rid of back and neck pain, and increase your flexibility, these classes are for you.
Class Format
You will perform simple, energizing, and fluid movements based on barre-a-terre, yoga, and ballet.
You will practice floor work to engage your back and abdominal muscles, and to increase head and neck mobility. Bring your yoga mats if you prefer. Wear athletic clothes and bring a pair of clean socks *you will work on your own feet, massaging and stretching it quite a lot.
Bring a short speech to present for the Intro SpeakUP class on Wednesdays. There will be lots of attention to the way you move with gentle hands-on guidance by the instructor to direct your muscles to lengthen as you perform and speak.
Results
Expect to feel your smartphone neck and back pain to dissipate, as well as feel and understand your habits of movement when sitting at your computer desk or working on your laptop, that cause your neck to be bent out of shape. You will leave refreshed, feeling your muscles alive again after a few sessions. The Alexander Technique is meditation in movement.
Instructor
Ms. Plentz was on the faculty of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where she taught the movement for actors class based on Alexander Technique principles, and led workshops at the University of Brasilia Dramatic Arts Department, Alexander Teacher Training Programs in Brazil, at the Maison des Arts de Luxembourg, and at the Maison des Arts du Grutli, in Geneva.
She studied privately and at Alexander Technique Teacher Training programs in New York City, London, and San Francisco, and incorporates her training as a ballet and modern dancer in her classes.
Bringing her experience as a broadcast news producer and journalist she offers media training, pitch training, and public speaking coaching for founders and executives to prepare them for press conferences, phone interviews, and pitches through Skype, one-on-one private coaching at a studio centrally located and /or the comfort of your office.
Her students are professional singers and dancers in New York City and Geneva, who take her classes to help them to manage the stresses inherent to their daily practice, and to support their rigorous training required to perform in large stages.
People from different professional backgrounds who are looking to improve their posture, mobility, and public speaking skills (entrepreneurs, news anchors, and college professors), as well as professional ballet dancers, actors, and classical music students, all can benefit from her unique approach.
Ms. Plentz received her professional training in Ballet in New York with Janet Panetta (ABT), William Burman (NYCB), Fabrice Herrault (Opera de Paris), Lynn Seymour (Royal Ballet), Modern Dance (Graham, Limon, and Cunningham Techniques) with Aaron Osborne (Jose Limon Co.), Jane Dudley (Martha Graham Co), and with Alan Good, Neil Greenberg, Robert Swinston, Megan Walker (Merce Cunningham Dance Co.).
During her dancing career she performed in Paris, Madrid, Brasilia, and New York City, with modern dance and theatre companies that collaborated with contemporary composers, including John Cage.
After a career in dance she returned to university and graduated from Columbia University, with a B.A. in Political Science, in the field of Comparative Politics. The focus of her coursework was Digital Media, News Production, and Art History.
While attending Columbia she worked at Bloomberg TV writing about tech, medical sciences, covering the WTO, UNDP, IMF, World Bank, Google, IBM, Amazon, the Nasdaq, and IPO's.
Upon graduating she joined the United Nations in New York, as an international affairs news producer. She interviewed daily high-level government officials, analysts, and academic experts for the official UN news bulletins. She has done voice-over work and simultaneous translation (play-by-play) for ESPN International, covering volleyball, basketball, equestrian sports, and gymnastics.
To book a consultation and private lessons please use the contact form.
