Jenn speaks to Muriel (Mumu) Morwitzer-Bächtold an enthusiastic and passionate Movement coach and international educator for art of motion Academy and Anatomy Trains Australia/New Zeeland. She trained to become a professional dancer, however Mumu had to retire early due to injuries. Mumu pulled out all her learnt Pilates tools to rehabilitate herself. Meeting Karin Gurtner, co-founder of art of motion Academy, assisted her in understanding and approach her rehabilitation more individually and holistically. A special life changing moment was when Karin developed Slings Myofascial Training and how to (re)train innate fascial qualities, this opened a whole new understanding of the body’s self-healing capacity and how to train and regain “somatic trust” and “movement courage” again. We delve into her life experiences, specifically the passing of her father and what showing up on the mat and creating a resource-oriented training program taught her, especially on how to recover from emotional and physical adversity! We wrap up the conversation by talking about movement for kids and teenager and how developing somatic trust and kinaesthetic intelligence is so important in the world we live in today. (Recorded on June 10, 2022)
About Muriel:
Muriel Morwitzer, known to most as Mumu, is the Senior Educator and Managing Director of art of motion academy® Australia, a renowned training organization for Contemporary Pilates & Slings Myofascial Training based in Switzerland and Australia, which was founded by Karin Gurtner.
Growing up in the Swiss Alps Mumu enjoyed skiing, snowboarding, hiking, dancing and white water kayaking. Mumu trained in Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Pilates, Choreography and Anatomy for Dancers at the Laban Centre in London. It was here that she discovered her love for Pilates, developed a passion for educating others and honed a focus on preventing injuries in movement-linked professions.
However at times she felt as though her training was lacking something. She now knows that to be the deeper and more contemporary science-based understanding of the body’s interconnectedness, as well as the experience lead embodiment of that knowledge that art of motion and Anatomy Trains has given her.
art of motion’s holistic and contemporary approach to functional exercise and exercise sequencing applied to Pilates and Slings Myofascial Training was refreshing for Mumu, and an inspiring turning point. When she was asked to study under Karin and join the art of motion lecturing team in 2009 she felt very privileged and honoured.
Being a part of the art of motion team kept Mumu in touch with Karin’s findings, one of them being Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains concept; it will be forever a memorable moment! Being introduced to Tom’s concept and application broadened her personal ‘body reading’ horizon and understanding of whole body interconnectedness dramatically, as well as how to apply it to functional movement. The more she delved into Anatomy Trains, Mumu could see the missing pieces of her ‘puzzle’ coming together and so her approach and her clients results changed for the better and are to this day very rewarding!
Mumu has greatly enjoyed her journey so far and knows there is more to learn for evermore, which is inspiring and exciting to her!
Travelling is in her nature. You can find her teaching and lecturing internationally in Switzerland, Europe, Singapore, Bali, and Australia-wide!
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