Mabel Elsworth Todd

Eric N. Franklin, born in 1957, is a Swiss dancer, educator, and writer who founded the Franklin Method. This approach integrates creative visualization, embodied anatomy, and physical and mental exercises. Franklin holds degrees from the University of Zurich and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. After a career as a dancer and choreographer, he established the Franklin-Method Institute in Switzerland. He has lectured and taught at numerous prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Zurich Neurological Institute and the Royal Ballet School, and has coached elite athletes and performing artists.

The Franklin Method, established in 1994, draws inspiration from Mabel Elsworth Todd's ideokinesis, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen's Body-Mind Centering, and Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga. Initially developed for dancers, it has since expanded to encompass all forms of human movement. The method utilizes dynamic, science-based imagery, touch, and anatomical embodiment to foster sustainable positive changes in the body and mind. It employs simple tools such as balls and therabands to recondition movement and improve function, aiming for dynamic body alignment and efficient movement through the brain's direction of bodily systems via imagery. The method is taught globally and is recognized by Swiss health providers.

The Franklin Method, founded in 1994, has roots in several influential somatic and philosophical traditions. It was initially conceived for dancers but has since broadened its scope to address all human movement. Key inspirations include Mabel Elsworth Todd's concept of ideokinesis, which explores the mind's influence on movement through imagined sensations; Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen's Body-Mind Centering, focusing on the developmental patterns of the body; and Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga, a spiritual discipline emphasizing the transformation of consciousness. This synthesis allows the Franklin Method to combine dynamic, science-based imagery with embodied anatomy and educational techniques.

At its core, the Franklin Method emphasizes the power of dynamic imagery and experiential anatomy to create positive and lasting changes in the body and mind. It utilizes simple tools like therapy balls and resistance bands to facilitate reconditioning of movement patterns. The method aims to achieve optimal dynamic alignment and maximize the efficiency of movement. It posits that the brain, through precise imagery, can direct the intricate interplay of limbs, joints, connective tissues, and muscles, leading to improved function and reduced structural stress. This neurogenic stimulation through imagery can produce immediate results, influencing muscular conditions and stimulating connective tissues and internal organs for enhanced balance and posture.