Hey folks, Colleen Snell here. I'm jumping back on the blog to interview Alice Cavanagh. Alice is a long-time Frog in Hand collaborator. She is a powerful, positive spirit with a contagious laugh. She is also the person who introduced me to the wonders of marmite.
Alice is a staple of our Summer season and a leader with our Summer Company; she's multi-talented and does everything from Animal Flow to stage combat and beyond. We also know she's got a fine singing voice! Through her practice with Alice Cavanagh Movement she's helping people feel fit, and well. Today I ask Alice about her practice, focusing on some of work she has sparked in recent months, from her YouTube channel to online classes for the general public.
Colleen: Tell us about yourself, and "Alice Cavanagh Movement."
Alice: Hello, my name is Alice and I'm an Australian actor, movement coach and movement director now based in Toronto! I'm passionate about storytelling through movement and unpacking the many fascinating stories our bodies communicate about ourselves and the world around us. This passion has led me to start my own business, Alice Cavanagh Movement (ACM). With ACM I coach general public and artists to help reconnect them with their bodies and build functional movement patterns for strength and pain-free living. C: What would you say is your "mission" as a movement coach?
A: Help folks reconnect with pain-free movement. This could look like creating a strength and mobility program for a client to help them build new movement habits while they work from home, or working with dancers through a rehearsal period to support their process and ensure they have the tools they need to stay physically healthy for a full season...and beyond.
C: You joined Frog in Hand in 2018 as an actor, dancer and now you are Rehearsal Director. You wear many hats! Can you tell us about a memorable moment with Frog in Hand?
A: YES. How about that time we were rehearsing stilts under a gazebo...Then it started to storm and we got flooded out! We had to get everyone down and pack up the stilts quick smart. I have a vivid memory of running through the rain holding on to a tent and a box of stilts desperately trying not to get anything wet and failing miserably. One of the exciting things about working site specifically is that every day will throw you a new surprise!
C: What a wild memory, yes we've had some big storms and been caught in the middle a few times over the summer months. I wanted to talk about the mobility snacks on your YouTube channel. What's one of your favourite exercises?
A: LOOooooooo I loooove any moment I get to release my T-Spine (or mid back). I often find this is an area that feels super tight after working online all day. So my favourite t-spine mobility sequence is: start by lying on your side, supported by your elbow, with both knees bent. Take your top arm and reach your hand towards the ceiling behind you. From here, reach under your armpit of the arm supporting your weight on the floor. Repeat for a lovely rotation through the T-Spine plus a moment to open your chest and relax the shoulders.
C: You can try this exercise yourself actually - link to Alice's YouTube channel below. I love that one as well, it's definitely helped me combat my slouchy curvy "desk posture."
C: What's next? If people like your mobility snacks, where can they learn with you?
A: I am super excited because ACM has a few new virtual offerings for Feb/March!
I've got a new workshop kicking off on the 14th called Mobility for a Life Online. Join me each Monday evening for four weeks as we spend an hour releasing our shoulders, spine and hips! We will learn about ways to build new movement habits to support you throughout your week and you'll even get homework and accountability to help you keep those habits going long after the workshop finishes.
If you're up for more of an energetic start to your day, my 8am virtual Tuesday and Thursday total body workouts are for you! This month we will be exploring Animal Flow, functional movement patterns and weight training! Yahoo! If you're interested, or want to learn more about these offerings, you can check out my website: alice-cavanagh.com
Thanks to Alice for taking the time to chat with us. Would you like to be featured on the Frog Blog? Get in touch with our team through the "contact us" section of the website!
See ya, Pollywogs!