Skeleton School

Ethan Cowan

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Skeleton School Audio skeletonschool.substack.com

11/25/2025

Perfect Hinges

I'm composing my own movement lessons again. I decided to keep the process fast and loose this time, minimal editing, thinking along the lines of the original Alexander Yanai lessons. Record something then keep moving. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
02/15/2025

ep. 20 - Four to Sit with Bent and Straight Legs

The Four Points are a theme Feldenkrais introduces here, early in the AY series, but it's developed more later in other places like the San Francisco training. To me, AY16 seems to be two different lessons woven together, so with this episode and the previous episode, I've separated those two lessons into two separate lessons. This one is interesting because it connects very directly to another set of themes in this second reel of AY lessons, this position where you're sitting with one of your legs long and the other bent with the sole on the floor. In previous lessons, like the shoulder stand lesson, you do flexion to take yourself forward with one leg bent and one leg straight. In this second half of AY16, you into that position from a totally different entry point, and I think that's compositionally interesting. It’s also valuable from a learning perspective. If you're ready, please enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
02/08/2025

ep. 19 - 4 3 2 1

4 3 2 1. Not counting down to anything, but... this lesson is based on AY16, originally called Four Points. And actually this episode is the first installment. I'm just doing the first half of AY16 in this episode. Plus I added a little bit I thought was relevant. I'll do the second half of AY16 in the next episode. I posted a video of myself on Facebook doing a little piece of AY16, and another practitioner gave me some tips on how to do it. He mentioned a lot of these early AY lessons are actually based on judo groundwork that Feldenkrais was very familiar with based on all of his judo experience. Before he started elaborating his own approach to movement and learning, he was a really experienced judo practitioner and teacher. Another thing my colleague pointed out is that a lot of these early lessons don't have a lot of frills. They're not slowed down. They aren’t chunked into smaller pieces that people can easily understand. There's like a lot of information that comes quickly. So I tried to go a little bit more slowly in this lesson. And that's why I chose to break it into two. I hope you enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
02/01/2025

ep. 18 - Turning the Hands, Rounding the Back

One of the things that I want to do with the Feldencast is go through all 550 of the AY lessons of Moshe Feldenkrais. That’s partly a personal inquiry because I want to understand more about his compositional approach to making movement lessons. It raises the question, what is a movement lesson? What makes a Feldenkrais lesson a lesson? I’m not sure. Basically, I think it has to be structured so you learn something interesting. And it can’t just be a movement exploration or an exercise. In the last episode, episode 17, when I wanted to present something a shorter, I ended up composing my own lesson, and making it up was fun! Then I sent that lesson to a Feldenkrais trainer to find out, Does this count? I haven't heard back from him yet, so I guess the jury's still out on whether that particular authority figure will think it's a lesson. But I really enjoyed the process, and I think it stands up. Please let me know if you disagree or have any constructive criticism. Episode 19 will be back to the AY lessons. For now, I hope you enjoy this one. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
01/25/2025

ep. 17 - Sitting Round with Bent Legs

This lesson is a breather, which means 1) it has to do with breathing, and 2) it's a little break from the sequence of the Alexander Yanai lessons, which are all kind of challenging and somewhat long. I had a few people suggest I make some shorter episodes because it's kind of daunting to sign up for an hour-long audio track. Although I think that's actually a form of sticker shock. A lot of times when I get on the floor and do an hour-long lesson, it's not that it seems really long. But beforehand, I think, “who has the time to lie on the floor for an hour?” So anyway, this is shorter. Half an hour. It develops some of the themes that were introduced in the previous two episodes about flexion, rounding the back. But I've tried to make it simpler. Hope you enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
01/18/2025

ep. 16 - Doing the Flexion at Both Ends

Doing the Flexion at Both Ends sounds kind of funny when I say it out loud, but I have this rap lyric in my head where this guy says “burning the candle at both ends” in a very specific way. That's a common phrase, but when I was doing this lesson, I thought, “oh yeah, doing the flexion at both ends.” This is based on AY12, and the title of that lesson is Sitting with Straight Legs. And that title is fine, except that's talking about the reference movement you do at the beginning and the end. But this is definitely a continuation of themes from the last lesson, which is the preparation for a shoulder stand, which is also something from season one, reel one. Also worth noting, I think I'm going to go through this reel of the lessons on reel two pretty much in order, because I like the way that the sequencing works. So this does follow the previous lesson in the original Alexander Yanai sequence. Quick word to the wise before we get started. There are some challenging movements in this lesson, so don't get stressed out if you can't really do what I'm describing. Just take it easy, go slowly, and try to figure out how to enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
01/11/2025

ep. 15 - Creative Spine, Not Achievement Spine

This is based on AY11, which is another one called preparation for a shoulder stand, so it's kind of similar to AY9, which in the sequence of the Feldencast was episode 13, that one that i called Shoulders Plant. So we’re dealing with themes that have been introduced already in this podcast, and themes that will continue to develop, actually. This is the first episode of Season 2, which is an artificial distinction, but I'm organizing the podcast based on the reels of the AY lessons. This lesson also introduces a theme that will continue throughout season two, which is a theme of sitting with one leg long and the other leg bent, then doing different variations of flexion. Getting shorter in the front with various kinds of twists involving and leading with the elbows. So I tried to introduce that here in a way that felt accessible, like an introductory taste of a flavor that you'll be tasting more. Welcome back again. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com
01/04/2025

ep. 14 - Sounding Better and Better

This is the last episode of the first season, and so we're going to do something a little bit different. This one's called Sounding Better and Better, and it's just a little bit different. It's not that different. It's actually based on AY5, so it's part of the first reel, just like all these other lessons. But it is different in that you're going to be doing some sound production. You'll be using your voice. So if you want privacy, you know, maybe some people want privacy when they're speaking as part of a curious exercise. Or even if you don't care, just set yourself up in a place where you can make some sound. What does it mean that this is the end of the first season? There are ten lessons in the first reel and this is my take, my reordering, my restructuring of those ten lessons. And then I'm going to go on to the second reel to make season two. But I'm not yet sure exactly like how I'm going to release it or when I'm going to release it. It might take me a while to make some of these recordings. And I'd love to incorporate any feedback that any listeners have about how this project is going. So if you are hearing this and you'd like to share anything about your experience, I'd really love to hear it. You can write me here through email or Substack. I hope you've enjoyed this first season. I've really enjoyed making it, and I'm so grateful you are listening. Happy season finale. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skeletonschool.substack.com

Skeleton School Audio skeletonschool.substack.com

Creator

Ethan Cowan
Years Active

2024 - 2025
Episodes

21
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Ethan Cowan
Show Website

Skeleton School