The mBODYed Difference
Learning to Belong to Ourselves
Our body maps are our stories, they represent who we are as individuals. They are the product of our lived experiences. They are formed within the context of our lives, thus they reflect the cultural and societal ideas around us. Within our maps are our experiences of emotion, race, ethnicity, nationality, education, religion, gender, sexuality, and many other aspects that shape and inform our development. Our lived experiences are reflected in our movement; our movement tells the story of the life that we have lived.
When working with our maps, it is important to honor the history and the story of each person. Thus, mBODYed Educators refer to maps that we wish to change as outdated, misunderstandings, or confusions, not as errors. They are not errors as we normally might think of them; it isn’t a matter of right and wrong. You are not broken nor need to be fixed. Your body map was able to function and bring you here to this moment; you are doing quite fine. At the time that you learned it, your map was the best choice available and served the present need, otherwise, you wouldn’t have worked so hard to learn it. Your hardware (your brain and nervous system) is functioning and does not need replacing. Your nervous system and the way you create maps are working exactly as they should. These are important statements to know and internalize as you begin this process. It is simply that your nervous system is working with information that is no longer serving you well, and needs to be upgraded with more specific information. As you move forward, we suggest thinking about this process as a refinement. At mBODYed, we are upgrading your software.
This work begins with acceptance. In many cases, learning cannot begin until we arrive as the sum of all our parts. In doing so, we realize that our potential is greater than the sum of all our experiences. mBODYed work is affirming, empowering, and most of all, teaches us that we belong to ourselves.
“So glad you are continuing to teach the love of self. You were my earliest inspiration to learn how to be proud of taking up my space and being fully present in my existence””
learning to play again!
Much of what we learn in our early infancy, we learn through play. When we are very young we try things over and over again without the need to “get it right” or “win.” In fact, there are many instances where humans and animals alike purposefully “lose” just to keep the play going longer. What’s so beautiful about this early stage in our development is that we don’t yet know the concepts of “getting it right,” “try harder,” and “concentrate.”
When we talk about how we make music, the verb that we use in the English language is “play.” When was the last time you picked up your instrument and thought of it as “play”? What if no one told you that a particular piece was “hard”? Do you think it would make a difference in how you work? What if you began to learn a new piece with no expectation of its difficulty or how long it would take you to learn it? Would you approach your work differently?
Learning a new skill can be challenging, especially one that will ultimately affect something very close to our identities as teachers and musicians. We approach this type of learning in a very specific way, through a process that we learned in our schooling. The academic process involves skill acquisition, practice through repetition, evaluation, and reward. Sometimes that reward is in a grade, sometimes it is praise; either way, the reward often represents the amount of effort one devoted to the process. To ensure that we receive this positive reward, we naturally assume that there is no option for failure. This process is binary, a clear right and wrong, and doesn’t reflect the value of failing in the learning process. Play, however, effectively incorporates failure into the learning process and it was the first process we employed for learning.
Play not only affects how we act but how we think. How we think is very important, possibly more important than what we think. Our thinking, our attitudes, our mindsets - these all shape the outcome of our work. This is especially true as you begin your work here.
mBODYed Educators encourage you to play, in the sense that you are free to explore this material with enjoyment, free of getting it right or wrong. We want you to experience this information in your body with curiosity. Learning a new piece, a new technique, or a new approach to play, all takes time. While there may be some immediate change with this work, the real benefits will be seen in the long term. This work requires reframing our pedagogy through a different lens. It is a never-ending journey that pays more dividends the longer you work with it!
At mBODYed, we PLAY!
mBODYed Learning
“Movement is the direct pathway from imagination to performance. For reasons we may not be able to explain, these pathways get blocked. mBODYed Learning will help you open these pathways, leading you to find the authentic expression of your creativity and imagination. mBODYed will guide you in further developing your performance skills and teaching through additional training leading to certification in Body Mapping and the Alexander Technique.”
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The Alexander Technique is a process for observing and changing your habits. Through the study of the Alexander Technique, one can achieve greater heights in artistic expression and creative freedom.
The Technique is based on the principles of movement:
● there is a neuro-muscular-skeletal mechanism for coordinating movement,
● we are born with this mechanism, and
● it is present and working for us provided we do not interfere with it.
When one studies the Alexander Technique, one changes the way one thinks, and consequently, how one moves. One creates a direct pathway from intention to movement, in the most efficient way.
Study of the Alexander Technique can:
● help relieve stress and pain,
● develop your awareness and attention,
● allow for new choices in your movement and in your responses to situations within your life, thus
● unlock your creative potential.
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Body Mapping is the intentional clarification and refinement of one’s body map to align with reality so that movement is freer and less restricted. When movement is freer, creativity is unlocked. Body Mapping is the application of scientific and medical knowledge of the body, in a clear and relative manner, to the movement of making music.
Body Mapping:
● Allows more expressive communication in performance by assisting in understanding how habits and misunderstandings have interfered with the ability to play the instrument. Unlocking artistic freedom, getting out of the way of yourself. (unpack this more, work it backwards - all the way back to band)
● In combination with medical treatment and physical therapy, Body Mapping and Alexander Technique have been shown to assist with injury recovery and prevention.
● Deepens the understanding the skeletal structure and how it provides support for movement.
● Increases awareness of how the parts of the body relate to the whole, and with this new, deeper understanding of the parts, how the whole body can move with greater ease and efficiency.
● Facilitates discussions of breathing, balance in sitting and standing, supporting the instrument, technique, embouchure and articulation.
Body Mapping was developed from a pedagogical need for teaching Alexander Technique in large groups of musicians. When studying Alexander Technique, there are many ways in which the teacher interacts with the student(s): hands-on guided movement, chair work, table work, constructive rest, groups, and working directly in performance. Through his many years of teaching Alexander Technique at The Ohio State University, William Conable, Professor Emeritus (Cello) developed a process that allowed students to gain a deeper relationship with their bodies while working in a group setting.
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Sometimes in the study of one’s self, you encounter a habit that is particularly stubborn or difficult to change. Often in this case, the issue is that the habit is built around a body map that is no longer working well for you. Let’s unpack that a bit….
A map is a representation of a “thing” in one medium that exists in a different medium. By definition, maps are created to represent some aspect at the expense of something else, they cannot show everything. Inherent in the definition, the type of map (road, topographical, architectural, etc.) determines the information that it includes and excludes. Maps are a representation of the territory; they are not the territory itself.
The body map is you self representation in your nervous system. Body maps are learned over time and change over time. They are constructed in consciousness. We learn them through our experiences. They are influenced by our education, background, culture, ethnicity, and our movement.
We each have our own map that we learn and develop both consciously and unconsciously from the time that we are infants. As we discover how our bodies move and function, we are mapping. Our maps develop and change over time, just like our bodies. Sometimes these changes coincide, sometimes they do not. Often, with someone who has spent a large amount of time and energy developing an artistic craft, the map does not change with the body. For artists especially, many of us do what we do because someone taught us and encouraged us from a young age to work and develop our craft. We hear instructions differently as adults than we did as a child. We also hold the early mentors with high esteem. Thus, we hold onto these early perils of wisdom, turning them from simple instructions into pillars of a technique. What if you heard it wrong? What if you went too far? What if you took a metaphor as literal?
For a variety of reasons, our maps may not be serving us well. Possible reasons may include: inaccurate interpretation of information, erroneous pictorial or verbal information, imitation of others, rejection of various body parts, or pure fantasy. As our bodies grow and change throughout all stages of life, the relationship between our bodies and movement changes. Our bodies grow and change faster than our maps. Subsequently, movements may become uncoordinated and clumsy as we continue to move according to our old maps. We also become more conscious and aware of our bodies, especially as we begin to compare our bodies to others and to societal norms.
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● All sound is the result of movement.
● All movement is the result of thought - intention.
● Intention leads to the movement that creates the sound.
● The quality of your thought influences the quality of your sound.
Habits are a powerful part of our nervous system. They are designed to be automatic and stubborn to change. Rightly so, since you have spent a great deal of time creating and reinforcing them. Because they are powerful and difficult to change, habits can get a bad reputation. We say things like “that’s a bad habit” or “I need to break that habit.” However, we invite you to consider an alternative view of habit.
Our nervous system is designed to form habits continuously. We need this to happen in order to accomplish all of the beautiful things that human beings can do with their bodies. When we build a habit, we are quite literally building a physical pathway in the nervous system. We make new habits through the same process that built the original habit. This is the purpose of the Alexander Technique - to become conscious of our habits and build new ones that are more efficient. Each time you observe your habit and make a new choice, you strengthen that choice. In time, this will become your new habit.
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Alexander Technique has two defining features: our coordination is guided by our primary movement (the relationship between head/spine/limbs in movement; and the development of hands-on teaching.
Body Mapping is the refinement and intentional embodiment of the internal body map based on anatomical reality.
Body Mapping greatly enhances the learning process for the study of Alexander Technique. The study of Body Mapping naturally leads into Alexander Technique.
Most students start there, continuing on if they have a particular interest in teaching Alexander Technique and a desire to do hands-on teaching.
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mBODYed Pedagogy combines Alexander Technique and Body Mapping, and the latest discoveries in learning theory, neuroplasticity, and cognition, into one seamless process of teaching and learning, through the lens of inclusion and belonging. mBODYed Pedagogy can: Help you feel more at home in your body • Improve learning, creativity, and performance • Improve balance, flexibility, and coordination • Prevent and alleviate pain and injury • Manage performance anxiety. mBODYed Pedagogy allows one to achieve greater heights in artistic expression and creative freedom.
“Movement is the pathway between imagination and performance. ”
About Shawn…
Shawn L. Copeland, founder of mBODYed, LLC, is a multidimensional musician, pedagogue, and entrepreneur whose talents have made him a leader in both the performance and musician wellness spaces. In 2014, Copeland joined the faculty of the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho, where he currently holds the position of Associate Professor of Clarinet and teaches Alexander Technique and Entrepreneurship classes.
A staunch advocate for new music, Copeland is a founding member of TOSCA DUO, Hammers & Reeds Trio, and Relevents Wind Quintet. These chamber groups seek to champion new music by creating innovative performances and commissioning projects. His ongoing work with composer Carlos Velez has resulted in a growing body of solo and chamber music for clarinet, including three quartets, two duos, a sextet, a solo suite, and Pulse: The Collected Works of Carlos Velez. Copeland has also been featured on two albums with TOSCA DUO: a self-titled debut album and another, entitled Dimensions, with Rajung Yang (piano).
Copeland is a strong supporter of creating equity in the arts. His upcoming projects celebrate diverse people groups and voices. Upcoming projects include the recording of works by Nansi Carroll and a recording project entitled Heroes and Icons that commemorates the LGBTQIA Fight for Civil Rights.
Clarinetist, Educator, Hiker, Wine Enthusiast, Dog Dad
In addition to his vibrant performance career, Copeland is an accredited teacher of the Alexander Technique and a specialist in Body Mapping. His interest in Alexander Technique and Body Mapping began in 1997 at the Brevard Music Center. It was here where Copeland’s passion surrounding holistic teaching began. He believes in the inclusion of the body in the creative process and strives to create a safe place for the whole person to learn. His pedagogy teaches that the body represents lived experiences and seeks to affirm these experiences while helping students grow. Through his work with performing musicians, he has helped hundreds of musicians improve their performance and understand the nature of their performance-related injuries. He currently serves as a training mentor and Chair of the Diversity and Belonging Committee, with the Association of Body Mapping Education, is a sponsoring teacher with Alexander Technique International. He is also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of InterMountain Alexander Training, a program that trains teachers of the Alexander Technique and Energy Healing. He is co-author of three upcoming publications: Body Mapping for Clarinetists: New Frontiers in Clarinet Teaching published by GIA Publications, and The mbodyed Breath: Body Mapping, Balance, and Breathing for Musicians, the first publication from mBODYed Press, coming in 2024!
Copeland holds degrees a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Bachelor of Music from Stetson University, and a Master of Arts in Non-Profit/Arts Management from the University of Central Florida. Primary teachers include Kelly Burke, Lynn Musco, and Frank Kowalsky.
Dr. Copeland is a Performing Artist and Clinician for Buffet Crampon, Silverstein Works, and Gonzalez Reeds. My instruments of choice are Buffet Legendes Clarinets.
Shawn lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he enjoy hiking, kayaking, PNW wines, and 360-degree views of snow-covered mountains year round.
“Our body maps are our stories. They represent who we are as individuals. They are the product of our lived experiences. They are formed within the context of our lives, thus they reflect the cultural and societal ideas around us. Within our maps are our experiences of emotion, race, ethnicity, nationality, education, religion, gender, sexuality, and many other aspects that shape and inform our development. ”
Faculty of mBODYed
Dr. McIlwain began teaching at The University of Southern Mississippi in 2013 after having teaching posts at Southeastern Louisiana University and The Florida State University. She has cultivated a positive, encouraging, and safe studio atmosphere for students to flourish as themselves. This holistic approach allows students to express themselves freely as a person and musician, which is the prime state for growth and maturation, both personally and musically.
While a music student, Dr. McIlwain experienced a performance-related injury that posed a significant threat to her career. After finding the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping she was able to recover and create a healthier and more mindful approach to music that inspired a survey of over 600 college-aged clarinetists as the basis for her doctoral treatise. When she began teaching a full studio Dr. McIlwain quickly realized that she could recognize alignment and body-use issues in her students but wasn’t sure how to address these interferences. After this realization, she started the training process to become a Licensed Body Mapping Educator. After completing the training in 2017 Dr. McIlwain was quick to incorporate the training into her clarinet teaching and has cultivated a culture of mindfulness and attention to the body and mind within her studio. Dr. McIlwain has been a member of the Association for Body Mapping Education since 2014 and is currently serving as a training mentor.
As an inspired teacher, Dr. McIlwain is co-author of three upcoming publications: Body Mapping for Clarinetists: New Frontiers in Clarinet Teaching published by GIA Publications, and The mBODYed Breath: Body Mapping, Balance, and Breathing for Musicians coming in 2024 from mBODYed Press. One of the greatest pleasures in her career is to share her knowledge of Body Mapping and clarinet pedagogy. These books bring her two passions together as a guide for all clarinetists to incorporate principles of Body Mapping into their everyday performance and teaching.
William Conable
Bill Conable is an Alexander Teacher and a musician. He is Professor Emeritus of Music at the Ohio State University, where he was active as a cellist and conductor. He began his Alexander studies with Marjorie Barstow in 1962 and continued with her over the next twenty-five years. He also studied with Frank Pierce Jones and Walter Carrington.
In 1973 at Ohio State he initiated the first class in the Alexander Technique offered at an American university. In the mid-1970s, he began developing the concept of Body-mapping, which is widely recognized as a major contribution to the theory and pedagogy of the Alexander Technique. He has presented papers and workshops on this development at Alexander teacher training courses in the US and Japan and at conventions of both Alexander teachers and music teachers. Body mapping is at the core of How to Learn the Alexander Technique, which he co-authored with Barbara Conable.
In recent years, Bill has studied energy healing with James Kepner, Carol DeSanto, Rosalyn Bruyere, and Shelby Hammitt. He is a certified Advanced Practitioner of Nervous System Energy Work, a new discipline being developed by Kepner and DeSanto. His current research centers on the integration of this work with the Alexander Technique. Bill Conable offers classes and private instruction Spokane, WA, at annual workshops in Spokane and Columbus, Ohio, and in workshops sponsored by organizations all over the world.
In recent years he has taught at KAPPA, ATA, and AQP, Alexander teacher training programs in Japan, and at CBAS in North Carolina. He has taught in Taiwan, Brazil, Chile, and Italy, among others. With Shawn Copeland, he has recently begun an expermental training course, Inter-Mountain Alexander Training, in Spokane and Boulder. He is a Teaching Member and Treasurer of ATI and a former teaching member of AmSAT.