Dr. Michelle Obrecht

Biography

Michelle Obrecht teaches Alexander Technique at the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre & Dance. She received her Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and her Master’s degree in history from UC-Berkeley. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in acting and sang in the UCLA university choir for several years. After facing a serious car accident, she decided to pursue training in Alexander Technique, completing a 1600-hour training program to become a certified teacher in 1991 at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She relocated to Ann Arbor in 1999 and taught for five years in the University of Michigan's Residential College’s music department before joining the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. In 2016, her department initiated small-group, one-credit classes in Alexander Technique as part of the Wellness Initiative, aimed at providing students with tools to combat physical tension and emotional stress. In 2018, she was awarded the LEO Professional Development Grant to attend the International Alexander Technique Congress, focusing on the intersection of mind, body, art, and performance.

Research Interests