“Here is a short list of what I've gained…”

“Words will always fall short in attempting to express my gratitude to Tracy and the Alexander work she has brought to my life. Here is a short list of what I've gained in just 6 months time:

-Relief from chronic middle back pain
-Relief from crippling plantar fasciitis pain (as in there is no more pain at all) 
-A completely new understanding of my body and how it's parts relate to each other.
-An ever growing vocabulary for what's happening with my body throughout the day.
-A new and exciting understanding of / connection to my breath that helps me in just about every area of my life.
-A reduction in stress, specifically stress that is being held in the body in the form of muscle tension.
-Significantly increased blood flow to the extremities, specifically my fingers. 
-A more developed sense of my body and it's proper use that gives me loads of energy and confidence on a daily basis.

I could honestly go on and on. Alexander is amazing work and Tracy is a goddess of the work to be sure. Working with Tracy has, in just 6 months, had such a positive impact on my life ... I am so grateful ... I look forward to every session . If I had the time and money I would do it every single day ... No lie. Be kind to yourself and work with Tracy.”

“AT work Tracy has been transformational.”

“I am hyper mobile and have developed a lot of bad habits over the years. I tried many times to improve my posture and the way I move, wearing devices and taking dubious advice. Nothing helped. When I began AT work Tracy, I was able to improve both quickly and sustainably. I was concerned when we went remote, since so much of our sessions was hands on. But quite to the contrary, we were able to create just as many ""aha"" moments. Now I apply the techniques we've learned to all the movements of my daily life. AT work Tracy has been transformational.”

-Justin Schulz, NYC

“She shows a deep understanding in her instruction, patiently answering my detailed questions.”

“I’ve worked with Tracy for the last year - much of that in person, and more recently over video call. Throughout both formats, Tracy consistently tailors her work to what I’m most needing on a particular day. Tracy has a warm presence and is confident and energized in presenting suggestions and exercises. She shows a deep understanding in her instruction, patiently answering my detailed questions. I regularly apply techniques I learn in our sessions in my day to day life - This has helped me feel more physically comfortable at work, and has enhanced the quality of all of my physical activities.”

-Jenn Miller, NYC

“AT redefined the relationship I have with my body, and gave me tools to process the injury and move forward. I feel like I'm in the driver's seat again.”

Working with Tracy is truly a pleasure and the transition to doing so in an online environment has really felt seamless. Granted I’m not so secretly looking forward to booking an in-person session with Tracy in the future! Like..is it magic? Honestly, probably.

I really enjoy the receptive and conversational nature of our sessions I feel like I can ask questions and we can explore those topics intellectually and somatically which leaves me connecting the dots for days after in the best of ways. A big aspect to the sessions for me was inquiry with an impediment in my guitar playing that I was still processing from a car accident some years ago. Through our sessions I really feel like I’ve gained some lifelong tools here that I could not have seen coming. I had a different relationship to playing for a while, and AT redefined the relationship I have with my body, and gave me tools to process the injury and move forward. I feel like I'm in the driver's seat again. This is the kind of teacher and work you want to shout about from the rooftops. Hello to any of my neighbors who are reading this, apologies that I’m an early riser, but you should book a session today.

-Christian Cepeda, NYC

“You’re like a body wizard.”

-Heather Rogers, NYC

“I particularly love the beautiful sense of discovery and joy in each lesson, and the fact that each lesson always feels like its own unique journey!”

“Before working with Tracy I felt anxious, doubtful, stuck, mentally and physically. I chose to take private lessons because I heard they were super super suuuper helpful (even more so than group classes). 

I’ve been taking weekly lessons for about a year, and I’m getting a much clearer sense of how the parts of my body work together and how my voice (and breathing!) works, how to sense my body, and how to effect change by directing my energy/attention to places where I’m holding unnecessary tension. I feel a greater sense of ease and confidence and grounded-ness — in everyday life, in my creative work, and in my work as a tutor.  

I particularly love the beautiful sense of discovery and joy in each lesson, and the fact that each lesson always feels like its own unique journey! I appreciate how warm and empathetic of a person Tracy is; she creates a really safe space for learning and growth and creativity, and she’ll always sense exactly where my energy is living on a given day and work with me from there. She’s also super super brilliant and knowledgable and clearly loves this work and the opportunity to share it with her students, so her enthusiasm is wonderfully contagious! this work feels like it opens up so much space for new possibilities!” 

— Alice Rothman-Hicks, NYC

“The 3-dimensional understanding of my body has allowed me to feel at home in a body I've spent most of my life trying to change.”

I wanted to say an enormous thank you for the things you taught me in AT sessions. They have helped me tremendously in life. There have been many times since the start of all this [COVID-19 Pandemic] that I have felt unable to continue and absolutely done, but I find myself grounding - letting go of excess tension, finding freedom. When I think of these things I feel instant relief and space. The 3-dimensional understanding of my body has allowed me to feel at home in a body I've spent most of my life trying to change. The mapping of my anatomy has been so helpful in sitting at computers for a long time, but also in my yoga practice. I started running recently and I have never been able to run before because of different medical problems I've had. But for the first time I had the freedom to jog, and more importantly to enjoy what I am doing. I've spoken to so many people in my life (who know of all my back and breathing issues) since quarantine started and reflected on what a big difference having those no more than 15 lessons made in my ability to function and press on in this time. It has helped me with guitar and singing. And I'm mentioning all these other skill sets because I have been able to grow them on my own because of the principals you taught and the lie downs and exercises you gave. I know I am not doing things as right as I can with my body, but I'm okay with that. I'll get there when I get there. Of course when there's a semblance of normalcy again, I would love to have more sessions (this isn't a "thanks, bye!" email) I just wanted you to know, because I've been letting everyone else know what a difference you made, but I hadn't let you know. Thank you. Hope you're doing well Tracy.

-Karina Padron, NYC

“Tracy taught me self-awareness and when the issue reappeared over one month later, I was able to correct it myself.”

I am a massage therapist who believes whole heartedly in my profession, but the Alexander Technique never ceases to amaze me. I was experiencing chronic tension and a dull ache in my hip. Tracy successfully helped me with a few simple corrections with my posture, gait, and body weight distribution. The pain and tension disappeared within two days. Tracy taught me self-awareness and when the issue reappeared over one month later, I was able to correct it myself.

-Sam M, Licensed Massage Therapist, NYC

“She personalized the sessions based on my individual needs, as well as outsourced specific resources to compliment the work we were doing.”

Private coaching with Tracy was such valuable and transformative work. She personalized the sessions based on my individual needs, as well as outsourced specific resources to compliment and optimize the work we were doing. She was invested in helping me achieve the progress I wanted, while making it fun and personable. My mind/body connection and awareness feels completely different from when I started my work with her, couldn’t recommend highly enough!

-Ananya Barman, Sydney, Australia

“From her attention to detail, to her professionalism, there is no question how passionate she is about her clients and their progress. This collaborative work is life changing...”

Tracy encompasses a skillfully intuitive approach during our one on one Alexander Technique sessions. From her attention to detail, to her professionalism, there is no question how passionate she is about her clients and their progress. This collaborative work is life changing, thanks to Tracy I am much more consciously aware of my physical being in the world. My sinuses have improved since and many areas in my body are now released profoundly. 

“I found my voice has changed to be fuller and my range has increased.”

“I've been taking Alexander Technique for a few years. Recently, I started to take voice lessons using the AT from Tracy. I found my voice has changed to be fuller and my range has increased. Also, the sound seems to be generated from the entire body. Tracy also taught me how to control my voice volume without having to squeeze. It felt like volume was being delivered by my feeling without physically doing anything. Amazing! Thank you Tracy!!!”

-D. Lo, Hong Kong

“Tracy is a a magician she knows exactly the right buttons to push to free the actor of tension.”

"I learned so much about the human body in this class! And the funny thing is? I actually feel like it’s gonna stick. Tracy is a a magician she knows exactly the right buttons to push to free the actor of tension.”

-Student at the Completely Ridiculous Summer Conservatory 2020, online

"It is a direct way for me to exercise relaxation, concentration and consistently illuminating how I work as a human being"

What lead me to taking Tracy's Alexander class was I had been looking for way in with my acting. In a nut shell, I felt as though I had writers block, but for an actor. I was attempting to calculate each step I'd take, if that step would be any good, what it would mean, how it could be better, etc. All of this before I had even done anything. I had always been a physical person throughout my life; baseball, football, competitive diving, horseback riding, Tae Kwon Do, or even in communicating affection. I seemed to have hit a point in my acting where I was working in a way I thought I should be working in (mentally) rather than starting at how I already work as a human. [Alexander Technique] Seems to me to be a fantastic guide in balancing the use of both physical and mental. Alexander and my work with Tracy has been effective and illuminating in all of my endeavors. Really. I bring up constantly how our work pops up while I'm acting, serving, bartending or playing my trumpet, even horseback riding. It is a direct way for me to exercise relaxation, concentration and consistently illuminating how I work as a human being. I have no intention on stopping anytime soon. 

“I'm walking with more purpose, standing taller, and breathing more fully than I can recall in years.” 

The Yelp Stars can't truly indicate the benefits I've received in just over a month/5 or so sessions with Tracy at Balance Arts Center.
I came to her via a suggestion from a fellow actor to help with some back pain and general alignment to further enhance my "instrument"/body and bring my full self to each role on the stage or on camera.  
In just a couple of sessions, (and after years of yoga and meditation with what I thought was my proper alignment) Tracy worked her magic and had me feeling more relief and a general release that I had not felt in years.
Not ashamed to admit that I've had a couple tearful breakdowns in the very subtle sessions just from feeling that sense of relief.
Never expected that the Alexander Technique and Tracy's touch would help to open me to such a different body/mind experience.

Tracy helps to ensure that you're connected to your body and the channels of energy that run through it are able to do so un-impeded.  I'm walking with more purpose, standing taller, and breathing more fully than I can recall in years.  Each day I'm working to put to mind many of the notions that we cover within the lesson and guide myself to a full in-body experience with as little tension as possible.  After suffering from many sports injuries over the years and general pain/trauma throughout my joints and spine, I've began to feel a steady and gradual shift away from that lack of ease and an overall dissipation of discomfort via Tracy's remarkable guidance and understanding of the Alexander Technique.

I've been singing her praises to friends and family for a while, so when my mother came to visit for her 55th birthday, I surprised her with a session.  Afterward, she and I spent the weekend checking in and mimicking some of Tracy's magical words to ensure that we were taking moments to maintain a sense of our muscular-skeletal system's integrity of tension (or as Tracy and the Alexander module refer to it "tensegrity").  Mom still discusses the experience each time we speak! It was a wonderful moment to see the two of them gliding down the hall and my mom seeming as if she'd grown 2 inches and developed a stronger sense of being in her body.

Eternally grateful Tracy!

"The absence of pain I felt was unfamiliar to me….I felt like I had come home to myself after a long time." 

After a recent Alexander session with Tracy, it felt natural to remark, "I think you have magic powers." For the last 20 minutes, Tracy had touched, with lightness and precision, my head, ribcage, and back, and she had said a few curious things like "Notice the space behind your tongue," and "Think about the space between your shoulder blades." When I stood up from my chair, I felt grounded, peaceful, and alive. The tension in my hips and shoulders had disappeared, and I experienced, in a conscious and effortless way, the width of my back, the length of my spine, and the connectedness of my body from my heels to my skull. The absence of pain I felt was unfamiliar to me--so much so that I wanted to cry. I had forgotten that this freedom was possible. As I took my first steps, I felt like I had come home to myself after a long time. 

It's fascinating to watch Tracy work. It's more like watching a dancer than an "instructor." She moves gracefully with proper "Use,"--the Alexander word for body mechanics--which she transfers to her students via delicate techniques that require 1600 hours of rigorous training to learn. (I know that because I completed 36 hours of it before I balked.) Thank God for people like Tracy who invest the time. They are powerful healers with an attuned skill that is as subtle as it is profound. 

Tracy is a beautiful Alexander teacher. I have been her student in both private and group settings, I have utter respect for her discipline, focus, and craft. She brings a warm and grounded energy to her classes, and she instills the same curiosity and reverence for Alexander technique that she feels herself. 

Tracy's impact on my life has been both pervasive and practical. Once, she gave me a lesson while I worked at my computer. I started the lesson hunched over, not realizing that I was straining my neck and crunching my legs under my chair. By the end, I was upright, breathing smoothly, and experiencing a radical shift in my ability to be both relaxed and productive. As a result of that session, I invested in an Alexander-ized laptop setup, on which I am currently typing this review.  My bluetooth keyboard is at elbow height, my screen is at eye-level, and I am sitting on a chair whose calibrated height allows my torso to find a natural verticality. It's been a game-changer.

Btw, if you're reading this and you don't know that the Alexander Technique is, we need to talk. 

I came to Alexander Technique originally because of chronic back pain from playing piano. I had tried everything -- physical therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy... but Alexander Technique was the first therapeutic form that gave me results in the first session. I learned that my back pain came from improperly using my chest to "push" the keys down, as opposed to letting gravity do the work with proper support from my back. It takes time and practice for your body to unlearn the pain-causing habits that you have formed over a lifetime, but Alexander Technique is the most effective thing that I've seen. 

At its core, Alexander Technique is meditation for your body. In meditation, you notice your thoughts and release them. In Alexander Technique, you notice your tensions, and with the guidance of a teacher, you release them. As you relax back into your body's proper Use, the results can be, frankly, magical.

"Through my work with her I am developing a deeper more grounded relationship with my body and voice..."

Tracy is a truly wonderful Alexander teacher. Through my work with her I am developing a deeper more grounded relationship with my body and voice and am excited to utilize what I am learning in my acting work. I am very grateful for her warm, wise and understanding presence.

“As an orthodontist working inside people's mouths, I have developed a pain in my shoulder, wrist and hand. After seeing Tracy for lessons, my shoulder feels better, my hand feels lighter and I have more balance.”

As an orthodontist working inside people's mouths, I have developed a pain in my shoulder, wrist and hand. After seeing Tracy for lessons, my shoulder feels better, my hand feels lighter and I have more balance. She has taught me how to move easier. I have such a deep respect for Tracy's knowledge of the body and how it functions. I have referred my patients to her who have unexplained headaches and  jaw pain related to muscular tension. And I highly recommend her to all my friends and family!

-Jenny Zhu DDS, MS, NYC

"Tracy and the AT have taught me how to help my body by being aware of its needs. No small feat."

I’ve been an actor for a while now, but I’ve been myself for even longer; and I’d acquired numerous bad posture habits. Tracy and the AT have taught me how to help my body by being aware of its needs. No small feat.

"She is a patient, insightful and a positive motivator."

As a physical actor who regularly practices mime and clown, I find it necessary to check in on my physicality and posture as often as possible. I was new to Alexander Technique when I began working with Tracy, and although she was new to teaching, she made it a clear and accessible concept from the first hour we worked together. She was patient, insightful and a positive motivator. Always checking in with how I felt, and encouraging me to be aware of the changes in my body when something shifted. 

I recommended her to a friend who is a playwright and spends a great deal of time sitting hunched over her computer. I think it’s a real testament to Tracy’s versatility and adaptability that she is capable of working with both experienced movers and those who spend their days not moving much at all. Not to mention that she’s just begun her career with AT, and is already excelling. I cannot recommend her highly enough.