Fluid Movement NYC

I would highly recommend swimming lessons with Dan Cayer. I was looking for someone to teach me to swim more effortlessly and without pain. I have suffered from chronic shoulder and neck problems. The technique that Dan teaches (the Shaw Method, a swimming technique associated with the Alexander Technique) and his skill in teaching it has enabled me to change my stroke from effortful to graceful and efficient. I use much less energy and have no pain. I travel from South Jersey to NY City for these lessons because Dan is that good, and I’ve only needed 2 – 3 lessons for each stroke to integrate the new methods and shuck my old habits. If you are looking for grace and ease in your swim stroke, you will be pleased with lessons with Dan.

I took Dan’s class about back health and it was amazing!
I’m a photographer and until I took this class, I was having major issues with back strain. I left this class with a much greater awareness of backs in general as well as specific information about my own back that has resulted in much more comfort and ease.
Dan is experienced and highly knowledgeable about what he does, as well as being a thoughtful, gentle man. He’s also a wonderful listener who took the time to figure out just what just what each participant needed. His warm, compassionate nature shone throughout the class, creating an ideal atmosphere for learning and opening up. He was encouraging and welcomed questions and comments.
If I could give Dan 10 stars, I would! Many thanks to Dan for a fabulous class.

Taking Art of Swimming lessons with Dan has helped me take a more mindful approach to how I move in the water so that I can move more efficiently and find swimming more enjoyable and relaxing. I always found the front crawl difficult and avoided it because it seemed like it took a lot of effort and I didn’t know how to turn in a way to get a good breath without inhaling water. I’d quickly become tired and out of breath. Dan showed me how I can use my natural buoyancy in the water for support, use my arms in a way that propels me forward without wasted effort, and and helped me experience that I can come up for air more by allowing my whole upper body to turn than by frantically trying to lift my head. The adjustments are simple and the results powerful and effective.

Dan’s patient, non-​judgmental nature have made my Alexander lessons with him a sheer delight. And his expertise on relieving and conquering chronic pain or pain in general is invaluable. I came to him because I had slipped a disc in my lumbar spine and literally couldn’t move for days. Through his approach on being mindful, connecting what you’re feeling and experiencing to what you’re doing and his «you have time» approach, I was able to overcome my back injury and change my habits to ones that better serve my long term health and wellness goals. You really can’t go wrong by taking lessons with Dan.

Dan’s swim lessons guided me towards a smoother, more efficient stroke. His professional knowledge of both Alexander Technique and swimming was the perfect combo for teaching me the bodily mechanics of swimming. I highly recommend him for either swim or (out of water) Alexander Technique classes.

Dan is a wonderful teacher of the Alexander Technique. He is gentle and thoughtful approach and very engaging — working with him becomes a source of grace and strength and calm.

I took a short but sweet workshop with Dan at The Interdependence Project called «Posture Clinic for Meditators: Letting Go of Fixation.» He planted the seeds for new ways of thinking about my body and mind, framed in the notion of posture as a fluid thing. I will continue to use what I learned both on and off my meditation cushion. Dan weaves together mindfulness meditation and the Alexander Technique in an intelligent, approachable, patient and engaging way.

Working with Dan has helped me get rid of pain, move with more confidence and feel better prepared to take care of myself in the future. I came to him with a repetitive stress injury in both my hands, unable to do a lot of everyday tasks without pain and completely unable to do computer work. He not only help me to use my hands in a safe way as they were healing but also was an incredible resource with tips and ideas and support on how to navigate the healing process while still feeling like a normal person. I am forever grateful for having had him there for me in a very trying time and appreciate still learning skills from him that will help me to avoid injuring myself again in the future. Plus, the sessions are always fun, interesting and empowering.

Dan is that rare combination of a very knowledgeable and a very empathetic teacher. I’ve taken many fitness /​movement classes, and after a session with Dan, I felt I had truly learned something from him that was new (for me) about how to align my body and move in a comfortable and happy way. If you want to take your body knowledge to the next level, I’d add Dan Cayer near the top of your plans.

I had heard about the benefits of the Alexander Technique for years, but never made the time. When I moved to New York, I noticed a workshop taught by Dan Cayer in Brooklyn and thought I should finally try it out. I have had chronic neck pain for years, for which I previously saw a chiropractor. Also, I am an actor and had been told that Alexander would free my body and strengthen my power onstage. No pressure!
The workshop piqued my interest and I made the commitment to work privately with Dan. It is now more than a year later, and I feel great! The changes are subtle week to week, but I can see that over time my body has benefitted greatly from my work with Dan and truly changed in a profound way. I have not been to a chiropractor since I started Alexander. I have more freedom and ease in my body – especially the head and neck. But Alexander is so much more than work on the body. It’s almost a way of life, or a philosophy, but it isn’t hokey or woo woo at all. It is a conscious, grounded and grounding mindful practice to create freedom in your body and in your life. Dan is a simply wonderful teacher. He is generous, kind, empathetic, funny, open, and very gifted at what he does. I found the work to be intellectually and emotionally engaging as well as physically helpful. If you have ever wondered about this work, I would encourage you whole-​heartedly to make an appointment with Dan. Enjoy!