Madeleine Black - Centered Organizing the Body Through Kinesiology, Movement Theory and Pilates Technique

To Madeline Dean

I am aligned with center, my core being, living on this earth and connecting with life source.

HANDSPRING PUBLISHING LIMITED

The Old Manse, Fountainhall,

Pencaitland, East Lothian

EH34 5EY, Scotland

Tel: +44 1875 341 859

www.handspringpublishing.com

First published 2015 in the United Kingdom by Handspring Publishing

Copyright Handspring Publishers 2015

Photographs Cathy Stancil Photography 2015

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a license permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.

The right of Madeline Black to be identified as the Author of this text has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Acts 1988.

ISBN 978-1-909141-15-5

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

Notice

Neither the Publisher nor the Author assumes any responsibility for any loss or injury and/or damage to persons or property arising out of or relating to any use of the material contained in this book. It is the responsibility of the treating practitioner, relying on independent expertise and knowledge of the patient, to determine the best treatment and method of application for the patient.

Commissioning Editor Sarena Wolfaard

Design direction, cover design and illustrations by Bruce Hogarth, kinesis creative.com

Cover artwork by Brigetta McReynolds

Photographs by Cathy Stancil, www.cathystancilphotography.com

Index by Laurence Errington

Typeset by DSM Soft

Printed by Dimograf, Poland

The

Publishers

policy is to use

paper manufactured

from sustainable forests

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CONTENTS

Madeline has elegantly accomplished the complex task of creating the book we need and always wanted. A book for teaching and understanding what we teach and a comprehensive guide for doing, understanding why we do it.... I highly recommend this book for all of us who teach movement, therapeutic or otherwise. It may just become your best guide in practice. Thank you Madeline.

Marie-Jos Blom, CPMT; Pilates Master Teacher, Movement Educator, Lecturer and Int. Presenter/Consultant; PMA Gold Certified; Creator/Educator of SmartSpine System; CEO, SomaSom, Inc.; www.smartspine.com

Madelines book Centered is an amazing experience and exploration of qualitative movement, a must have for all who consider themselves movement practitioners. I believe it will become a classic tool for our profession.

Brent Anderson, PhD, PT, OCS, PMA(r)-CPT; Founder, Polestar Pilates, Florida, USA

Madeline aims to make one more durable and utilitarian, fit for the needs of life. You will move with more ease and grace by both listening and then doing this deeply informed bodywork.

Phillip Beach, DO, DAc; author of Muscles and Meridians: The Manipulation of Shape, Churchill Livingstone, 2010

A comprehensive and practical book that combines science, movement education, and self-awareness from a master teacher and practitioner. I highly recommend it.

Tom Hendrickson, DC; author of Massage and Manual Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2009

Exploration of the gray area between science and exercise, which falls under the umbrella of Pre-Pilates, serves to improve balance and function so that exercise will reinforce good movement patterns. Madeline approaches movement from a foundation of dynamic anatomy. Centered is full of insight and accessible, practical information for movement teachers.

Deborah Lessen, PMA-CPT

An essential read for students and practitioners of the movement arts; wonderfully descriptive and clearly illustrated! My favorite is , about the importance of the diaphragm read it first, and then again. Madeline has synchronized all her studies and knowledge into a valuable gift for those of us who love to learn. Your efforts are truly appreciated!

Marika Molnar, PT, LAc; Director, Westside Dance Physical Therapy; Director of Physical Therapy Services to New York City Ballet

The implications of this book are far-reaching. I believe that it has significance across all disciplines of traditional behavioral medicine as we know it today. The mind initiates movement. Is it possible that movement in turn manifests creative thought? Madelines expertise in this area is well defined in this book.

Dr JC Bobo, MD, psychoneuroimmunologist

Having attended Madelines lectures and workshops over the year, I welcome her first book. It will be an important addition to my Pilates reference library.

Alan Herdman, author of The Pilates Directory (2004), The Gaia Busy Persons Guide to Pilates (2003), Pilates for Men (2007) and The Complete Pilates Tutor (2014)

I am honored to be invited to make a small contribution to the book I see before me. The authors ambition in writing it is to give a clear insight into therapeutic methodologies, and to support an established field of movement together with the practitioners and therapists who apply these innovative manual and movement skills in practice. In this manner, they effectively create a positive functional change for their clients.

The author began her career as a dancer and choreographer and she writes that choreography is the process of translating feelings and ideas, ideally leading up to a flawless execution of movement. Her book is ultimately based on a whole body approach, addressing its kinematics for optimal function, using insights gained from her background, as a dancer, choreographer, movement and integrative orthopedic massage therapist, Pilates teacher, and now also an excellent writer.

Madeline Black has combined her years of self-reflection in the movement and dance field with an earnest intention of taking care of the proper execution of movement and finding balance. Creating this sensibly arranged book required the confluence of her 25 years experience in movement and therapy and her seriousness of purpose is clearly reflected in it.

It is both pleasant and logical that the author, coming from a dance and movement background, uses the most effective name for this book by entitling it Centered. The concept of Centered is artistically captured in a striking logo, showing exactly what the book is all about. The content encompasses properly applied motor control, body alignment, and sharing the load: using neither too much nor too little force just enough, precisely balanced, to synchronize forces throughout the body. It employs a combination of movements based on kinesiology, manual techniques, strengthening, and proper muscle recruitment.