Alexandra Pitonzo’s journey in martial arts began with a curiosity that gradually evolved into a desire to gain an increasingly profound understanding of her practice. Since 2010, she has studied Yang-style Tai Ji Quan, a discipline she has been teaching since 2021 and which forms the foundation of her martial arts experience.
During the pandemic, following the recommendation of fellow practitioners, she discovered DECODE through its online courses. This marked the beginning of a significant shift in her approach: instead of continually exploring new practices, she chose to focus on a smaller number of exercises, pursuing clear and measurable objectives through deeper study.
Through the DECODE Method, concepts she had previously encountered in Tai Ji Quan, such as whole-body unity and the practice of Zhan Zhuang, took on a tangible dimension. Working with Fang Song, the release of unnecessary tension, also enabled her to address persistent physical limitations, particularly in the mobility of her shoulders and hips.
What Alexandra particularly values in Master Mauro A. D’Angelo’s teaching is his ability to guide students beyond their perceived limitations with kindness, confidence, and goals suited to their individual abilities. She appreciates his openness to dialogue, the progressive structure of the exercises, and the direct connection to the sources of Chinese martial traditions.
Since February 2024, she has been teaching DECODE Internal Alchemy in Les Rasses, Switzerland, where she leads two weekly classes in French. She continues her education through the intensive training programme, the teacher training programme, and classes at the DECODE school in Milan. She also contributes to the development of DECODE within French-speaking communities through translation and interpreting.
For Alexandra, teaching is also a way of deepening her own practice. It involves learning to create structured experiences through which students can explore their bodies, become aware of unnecessary tension, and gradually discover how to transform the quality of their movement, both in practice and in everyday life.