the blue studio

Kevin Carroll, solo artist/lead guitarist for Charlie Robison:

"Every musician in Austin should strongly consider attending your classes.....especially those who want to continue playing music into mid and old age. I've benefitted greatly from the grounding yet sophisticated integrated movement approach of Feldenkrais. You have such a strong grasp of the lessons and an uncanny ability to open new possibilities of movement for all of of your students."

"Your classes have greatly enhanced my appreciation of how subtle adjustments in posture and movement can have such an empowering effect on many aspects of my life, especially playing music."

Cliff Koeniger, architect:

"I really appreciate all the help from you. I feel years younger, and I'm getting better all the time."

Dan Barrett, songwriter and frontman, Porter Davis:

"Elaine Dove is a light to our community. Drawing deeply from fields of art, movement, science, and spirituality, she brings a simple depth to her teaching that is rare and utterly effective. Elaine is gentle, yet direct. She teaches with a lightness afforded only to those firmly grounded in their path. The quality of my experience in my body is better every day as a result of my work with Elaine and the subtle power of the Feldenkrais teachings. With great pleasure, I recommend Elaine fully and emphatically!"

Megan Biesele, Ph.D., Anthropologist and Founder, Kalahari Peoples Fund:

"Last year, nearing sixty, I was dealing with chronic hip pain and a number of other assorted leg, knee, ankle, and foot pains that were keeping me from the active walking that has always been my pleasure. I was also troubled by a pervasive feeling of being physically contorted and slightly out of balance. I felt all this was aging me prematurely and was affecting my spiritual outlook. It was also making me apprehensive about being able to continue my lifestyle, which despite a lot of deskwork has a serious outdoor component for parts of each year. I had tried chiropractic, massage, physical therapy, and a little yoga, but seemed to be getting worse and worse.

After working with Elaine on Functional Integration for less than half a year, my stubborn hip pain has disappeared and my other leg pains are resolving themselves with continued occasional sessions. At her suggestion, I combined the Feldenkrais work with Nia dancing and a little Haitian dancing, as well. I think the combination worked to distract me from negative, habitual movement patterns so that I am aware of a new range of options in movement. I feel much more confident and the new sense of balance and possibility I have has translated itself already into practical successes of several kinds. Feldenkrais has provided an intellectually stimulating journey for me, and I feel every single minute I have spent on it has increased my well-being."

Ellen Stader, choreographer, dancer, and yoga instructor:

"The experience of doing Feldenkrais is simultaneously liberating and deeply reassuring to so many aspects of the self -- physical body, emotional center, spirit and soul. Elaine is such a skilled and compassionate guide, with a sharp eye for each student's personal movement patterns and a gentle method of helping us further explore and integrate them. During and after each ATM I feel not only easier in my entire body, but also immensely more peaceful and hopeful in general."

Julie Nathanielsz, dancer, massage therapist and Skinner Releasing teacher:

"Elaine is a young yet already gifted teacher. She imparts material with clarity and guides the individual student sensitively. Elaine's Feldenkrais classes give me deeper insights into bodily patterns and the wherewithall to repattern.

"I've been a student for more than two years, and among the changes I attribute to the work is a new, delightful mobility along the thoracic spine, and the contents of the ribcage. Thank you Elaine!"

Kayo Tsujimoto, choreographer and dancer:

"I have been taking Elaine’s private and group lessons for over 5 months. Soon after I started I found myself moving with ease and awareness in dance class and yoga practice. Now I am more aware of my posture, and when I have some discomfort, I use what I learned in her class to reduce it.

Elaine is very good at analyzing my needs. She creates lessons to help me better understand what is contributing to my discomfort and guides me to use my body differently. Her instruction is always very clear. What I appreciate most is her explanation of how I can apply each lesson to my daily life activities.

It is a great feeling to know that there is something I can do to deal with pain. I believe anyone can receive great health benefits from her class."

Sharon McDaniel, massage therapist and ER nurse:

"I had one intro lecture on Feldenkrais in MT school and loved it, but forgot about it. Then Elaine appeared on my E-mail like a huge serendipity. Every lesson is a delight and I want to do more, and teach it. So, I've applied to the Feldenkrais Training and envision being a practitioner. I think it will be the perfect complement to Massage and Reiki...Until recently I couldn't imagine supporting myself without the ER paychecks, or breaking out of the only work I know how to do...it has profoundly impacted my life and given me a lit-up runway at this time of letting go and new beginning."

Pam Chambers, massage therapist:

"I've used the Feldenkrais movements I was taught at the Texas School of Massage Studies with my clients, with great success. However, until I began to experience the movements personally, I had no idea of the improvements that are possible through the Feldenkrais Method.

Since starting to experience the movements myself, I've had amazing changes in my spinal alignment and more freedom of movement. If I wasn't entirely informed or convinced before, I'm sold now."