Feldenkrais Australia Journal #4 Voice

32 Pages·1.637 MB·English

by  Ralph A Hadden (ed.)

FELDENKRAIS AUSTRALIA
Journal of the Australian Feldenkrais Guild Inc. June 2014
TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE::
AARRLLYYNN ZZOONNEESS
GGEEOORRGGII LLAANNEEYY
FFRRAANNCCEESSCCAA WWHHIITTEE
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EDITORIAL
ABOUT
By Ralph A Hadden
FELDENKRAIS
AUSTRALIA
The theme for this issue is one close to my heart. The that. But I was surprised to also discover that he is a
voice is important for teaching ATM, of course, but serious student of his craft. Throughout his playing life
Feldenkrais Australia is the journal of the
also for singing, something I love to do. I have been he has been a dedicated learner and explorer of music
Australian Feldenkrais Guild, Inc and is intended
singing in the Men in Suits for the last 6 years with and the guitar- Blues, Rock, Rhythm n’ Blues, jazz
for Feldenkrais Method® practitioners and trainee
great enjoyment. I joined the choir in 2008, a period and even classical- at first by concentrated listening
practitioners. Content is copyright © 2014 by
when I was dealing with the devastating loss a year (with Mick Jagger) to whatever blues recordings they
AFG Inc. The Feldenkrais Australia journal is mostly
earlier of my youngest daughter to leukemia. In my could find in England, then later by closely observing
made available to members via the internet, with
still freshly grieving state the choir nourished my and playing with many guitar masters. So, once
some members receiving a hard copy, at their
battered spirits, giving me a lift each time I sang with again I learn that being at the top of your profession
request. The journal appears approximately twice
the group. I have continued to sing with the group doesn’t just happen by accident. There are many hours
a year. Next issue is planned for October 2014;
and it continues to enhance my mood each time. (10,000 hours is the oft quoted figure) of practice,
deadline for material: 31st August.
And Feldenkrais has been an essential tool supporting refining, re-working, collaborating and performing.
me singing and moving well while performing. The theme for the next issue is Habits, Their Making
For entertainment: We are all Completely Beside
(You can see a fine example of us singing on and Unmaking. Contributions are invited, on this or
Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler (2013 Serpent’s Tail
You Tube (Metro Regrets by Men in Suits): any other topic.
2014) is an engrossing American family drama with
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh-sI9qajwA)
a twist. As Tolstoy said, “All happy families are alike; Please address all correspondence to the editor,
Neuroscience studies are now showing how singing each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Ralph A Hadden:
in choirs has positive effects on human physiology. Rosemary, the daughter, relates the special way her Email: [email protected]
In the Voice resources section on page 17 there is a family is unhappy. And there is an interesting side Mail: Feldenkrais Australia, AFG
link to a TED talk about this. I recommend singing to exploration of the distorted lives and often unhappy 5 Windermere Court
everyone. fates of chimpanzees used for experiment and research Blackburn VIC 3130
in the academic and medical world. Our near relatives
What I’ve been reading: Keith Richards’ autobiography
deserve better.
Life (Little, Brown & Co, 2010), written with James
Cover: Two of my favourite local performers, Vika and Linda
Fox (I suppose that means Fox was the ghostwriter).
THE EDITOR Bull, illustrate the power of the voice. Permission to reproduce
I expected to find that his life was a dissolute one, Ralph Hadden (Sydney 1990), Assistant Trainer (2012), was very kindly given by the photographer Mr Frumpy (Lex).
practises in Melbourne. He is an AFG(Vic) delegate to See his work on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
drenched with drugs, drink and sex and, yes, it was
the National Council. mrfrumpydotcom and http://www.mrfrumpy.com
CONTENTS
GOINGS ON COMMENT

THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE HIP 01 COMMUNICATION 19

VICTORIAN COMMUNITY DAY 01
REPORTS

NATIONAL PAIN WEEK 02
PHILOSOPHY AND FELDENKRAIS

TIMELESS BODY 02 PROJECT UPDATE 22

MAKING MORE OF FI 02 TEACHING AWARENESS
THROUGH MOVEMENT,

FEATURES : THE VOICE JULIE PECK ADVANCED TRAINING 24
VOICE, BREATH, POSTURE 03 NATIONAL AGM, MELBOURNE 25
ENHANCING VOICE
USEFUL INFORMATION
PRODUCTION : FELDENKRAIS
ADVERTISING RATES

AND SPEECH PATHOLOGY 07 PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS 26
AFG MEMBER NON MEMBER

TEACHING ATM TO STUDENTS PAST NEWSLETTERS 26
Full page: $150 $250
OF THE PERFORMING ARTS AT

Half page: $80 $150 NEXT ISSUE 27
TERTIARY LEVEL 09
Quarter page: $60 $75

Business card RIBS IN PLEASE! 12
$30 $60
size:

VOICE RESOURCES 16
Appearance of an advertisement in this journal is
not an endorsement by AFG Inc. of the advertiser or

their products/services. ATMs FOR VOICE 18
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GOINGS ON
THE HIGHEST POINT OF VICTORIAN COMMUNITY
THE HIP DAY: “HOLD YOUR
TONGUE!”
An Advanced Training in Canberra with trainer
Stephanie Spink (Melbourne 1991). Working with jaw and tongue tension. ATMs and
some FI. Led by Stephen Grant (Montreal 1997),
Cost: AFG Members- $280, non-members $330.
head of the Voice Department, Melbourne University
When: Saturday, Sunday 14, 15 June, Conservatorium.
9.30am-4.30pm Saturday,
Cost: $40 AFG members, $80 non-members
10.00am-5.00pm Sunday
When: Sunday 15 June, 10.00am-1.00pm
Where: 71 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley, ACT.
(followed by shared lunch)
Contact: Stephanie Spink, [email protected]
Where: Balwyn Community Centre,
412 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills
Contact: Ann Scanlan, 0409 774 458 or
Fran White, 0421 889 812
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GOINGS ON
NATIONAL PAIN WEEK MAKING MORE OF FI
Post training module with trainer Julie Peck List your event in GOINGS ON: send the details
The AFG Pain team encourages pratctioners to be
(Sydney 1990) in Melbourne. to [email protected]. Use the
involved in this event, a project of Chronic Pain
GOINGS ON format- name of event, brief description,
Australia: http://www.chronicpainaustralia.org.au
Cost: AFG members and Feldenkrais Institute
cost, when, where, contact. RAH 
alumni $550, (or early bird $500 before 20 July),
When: 21-27 July
non-members $650
Contact: Lisa Campbell of the AFG Pain team,
When: 22-26 September, Monday-Friday
[email protected]
Where: Box Hill Town Hall
Contact: Feldenkrais Institute of Australia,
TIMELESS BODY
[phone], [email protected]
A weekend to promote our method, nationwide. Stay
tuned for news from your division.
When: 16, 17 August
Where: Australia
Feldenkrais Australia Journal June 2014 2
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FEATURES
: THE VOICE
VOICE, BREATH, As far as I know he didn't include any direct
examples of voice lessons in these workshops
POSTURE
although the year before he did start to work with
By Arlyn Zones,
the theme in the Amherst training. If you look,
MA Theatre Arts
however, at what he wrote in the text above, you
will find some of the ideas or principles that I have
Arlyn (Amherst 1983) is a
been investigating in a series of lessons from the
Trainer (1994) based in the
Feldenkrais Method® and the Linklater Voice Method.
United States. She has taught extensively throughout
the world, including many visits to Australia. Prior to
But before going further let me introduce you to some
her involvement with the Feldenkrais Method® Arlyn
of Kristin Linklater's philosophy of vocal training.
studied acting, voice and mime and taught
Ms. Linklater's work focuses predominately on actor
Movement for Actors.
training and therefore more on speaking than on
singing. She refers to her approach as Freeing the
In 1981 Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais travelled throughout the
Natural Voice2 and wrote a book by the same title.
United States offering a series of five day workshops
which were sponsored by an organization named
As this title suggests, the work to free the voice is not
Quest1. When asked to write about what he would
one where the person tries to add something on to
teach, he listed nine ideas or intentions behind the
the way they speak but instead learns to take away
movement sequences he would present. Included in
what interferes.
the list was:
• To experience making one feel taller and lighter.
• To train the voice-breathing as our nervous system
would like it to be (Feldenkrais Voice Training).
• AND: To become aware of the many different parts
of one's self image and how to complete it-in ten Corinna May (L)
Kristin Linklater
different situations or lessons...
(R)
33 FFeellddeennkkrraaiiss AAuussttrraalliiaa JJoouurrnnaall JJuunnee 22001144
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VOICE, BREATH, POSTURE By Arlyn Zones, MA Theatre Arts
themselves while speaking can verify the number of say theirs is poor. Of those that have a good self image
habits that interfere with a really free sound coming nearly all of them have previously had some special
out thru the mouth. training in singing or speaking. So the first order of
business is to decouple the business of sound making
Another strong resemblance of Linklater's approach
from previous associations about oneself.
to that of Dr. Feldenkrais is the strong emphasis on
making sensory distinctions. All the Linklater exercises For Kristin Linklater the place to begin is the spine.
are designed to help one experience the vibration of The first exercise in her Method is a spinal drop in
In her book she says that real spontaneity depends on sound rather than judging it as good or bad. which you are asked from a standing position to drop
reflex action and most people have lost the ability and down the spine one vertebrae at a time and then build
My own work in exploring how to combine the two
perhaps the desire, to behave reflexively. The animal back up. The chapter is entitled: The spine: the support
systems has evolved over many years of bringing the
instinct level of emotional response to stimulus, deep of breath. In this chapter Ms. Linklater actually offers
voice work into Feldenkrais Professional Training
in the unconscious mind, is largely conditioned out us a quote from Dr. Feldenkrais in which he says that
Programs.
of us as we grow up ...Throughout the nervous system the muscles should not have to carry out the job of
impulses have been blocked, rerouted or crisscrossed What began as a one hour vocal class in 1989 the skeleton but should be free for movement.5 As one
with countermanding impulses3. To all those familiar has gradually grown into a week long curriculum. gradually learns to think of the spinal column from
with Dr. Feldenkrais’ ideas the parallels become clear. Recently I have also begun to work with Corinna May, the inside, the vertebral bodies become linked to the
In Feldenkrais language we could say that our voices a designated Linklater teacher who has many years image of a channel for sound. The vibrations which
are the freest when we allow ourselves to express experience teaching voice and is also an actress and begin in the belly pass upward along this channel
what we want, what we intend, without any cross a Feldenkrais Practioner.4 and unimpeded out thru the front of the mouth.
motivation.
In beginning the work with the voice, the first question In my curriculum of ATMs I also begin with the spine.
Linklater also says that as long as we are emotionally that I usually ask the group is: “How many of you The ATM focus on the sensing of the inside of the spine
protective our breathing will not be free. When the have a good self image around the way you use your and the realization that the vertebral bodies are large
breathing is not free the throat, jaw, lips and tongue voice?” On average one third of the group will have a supporting structures helps to create a sturdy feeling
work twice as hard to compensate for the lack of good self image, one third of the group will say they of the skeletal support when the students return to the
breath power. Anyone who has closely observed have a medium image, and one third of the group will work in standing.
Feldenkrais Australia Journal June 2014 4
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VOICE, BREATH, POSTURE By Arlyn Zones, MA Theatre Arts
I next move to the awareness of the space inside the Gradually as one continues through the Awareness feeling sounds. The sound has an energizing
mouth and the abdomen. In the lesson on the mouth Through Movement® lessons which are chosen for their or re-vitalizing effect on the whole self.
and palette Dr. Feldenkrais shows very clearly how ability to make the Linklater work more accessible one
In my recent collaboration with Corinna May in
eliminating unnecessary contractions of the tongue can expect the following to occur:
a training segment in San Diego she was invited
has immediate beneficial effects on the breathing.
1. The inner space expands in all directions to teach the students the Linklater portion of the
He also utilizes what I call a back door approach
2. The breath expands in all directions curriculum. Her comment as the week came to
to the work with breath in that he uses imagery to
a close was as follows:
influence awareness and awareness to evoke the 3. The skeleton fulfills its supporting purpose
change in musculature. 4. Posture and acture improve As I'd anticipated, the group as a whole and
individually had found much more resonance than
Linklater also says that when working with the Going thru the Awareness Through Movement®
they'd begun with, but what was arresting was the
breathing we need to develop the ability to “observe lessons in conjunction with the voice exercises
quality of the resonance- we say in the Linklater work
without controlling...Conscious control of the breath makes it possible to focus on the details and the whole
that we are looking for a transparent voice, that is, we
will destroy its sensitivity to changing inner states, and simultaneously. Shifting between the foreground of
want to hear the person, not the person's voice. In the
severely curtail the reflex connection of breathing and vocal production and the background of the support
end I was hearing not “good voices,” but strikingly
emotional impulse.”6 of the entire skeleton allows unnecessary efforts to
richer, suppler, brighter more expressive voices that
fall away.
In the next phase we influence the breath by taking came unforced, without pushing or reaching or
away the unnecessary parasitic work of the intercostals One can now begin to explore the resonators with a crafting, just releasing vibrations with ease from
so that the ribs and diaphragm can be free to respond better chance of keeping habits of the tongue, jaw, lips their whole selves.
to the natural inflow and outflow of the breath. and throat from interfering. The work with resonators
When Corinna works with actors using Feldenkrais as
Awareness Through Movement® lessons which involve can be great fun when properly prepared for.
an adjunct to the voice she also finds that the process
twisting of the spine can be linked to the experience of
Vibrations of sound are sent into various parts of is enhanced.
the breath gradually being able to expand in multiple
the face and high up into the palette and are clearly
directions: from lower down spreading upward, from For the work in trainings the final task is to ask the
sensed. At this point one's relationship to the voice
the center spreading outward and from the center students to give each other a scan. The students are
begins to shift to the experience of the pleasure of
spreading forward and back. asked to couple their words with an inner image
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VOICE, BREATH, POSTURE By Arlyn Zones, MA Theatre Arts
and also to send their voice into the bones of their my voice while teaching creates a strong effect on those I teach I think that the issue of self organization
partner. I like to refer to this as skeleton to skeleton my entire organism. There is usually a movement and self awareness is just as pertinent to the teaching
contact in the teaching of ATM. The vibrations of sound downward in myself that becomes more and more of ATM as it is in the giving of a Functional Integration®
carry with them all the intentions of the teacher as available as a lesson progresses. This downward lesson. And certainly it is possible to give a whole
he guides and focuses the students’ attention to new movement both influences the deepening of the group a lesson in Functional Integration® thru the
domains of perception. Over time one can include breath and the whole breathing mechanism regulates medium of one's voice alone.
the physical sensation of one's own voice while itself into a steady pulsation of air becoming sound.
teaching and this helps to deepen the pathways of The improvement of the breathing and the sensory
communication between the teacher and the group. experience of the sound is felt as a kind of tonic for my
entire system. The connection with an image of what
In closing, I would note that in my own work I have
I am asking the students to feel further improves my
found that the inclusion of the vibration of sound of
contact with my own skeleton. So for myself and for
Footnotes:
1. Brochure for Workshops with Moshe Feldenkrais 3. Ibid. pg. 12 5. For exact quote refer to Freeing the Natural Voice
sponsored by QUEST: Dallas, San Francisco, New 4. Corrina May, teacher of Voice and Speech at Pace by Kristin Linklater, p. 20.
York, 1981. Check with www.feldenkraisresources. University, New York City, NY. Kristin Linklater was in contact with Dr. Feldenkrais
com for available recordings of these workshops. Corinna is also the teacher for the Linklater work and they observed each other’s work. She also
2. Freeing the Natural Voice by Kristin Linklater. for the CD/DVD series published by Feldenkrais wrote an article about his Method entitled: The
Quotes are from first edition published by Drama Resources. See www.feldenkraisresources.com Body Training of Moshe Feldenkrais. After her
Book Specialists 1976. The first edition is known The series is entitled: Voice, Breath and Posture by exposure to his lessons she began to use the Pelvic
as the Blue Book and the 2nd Edition published Arlyn Zones with Corinna May Clock in her own teaching.
in 2006 is known as the Yellow Book. Both are 6. Ibid. pg. 25
carried on Amazon.com 
Feldenkrais Australia Journal June 2014 6
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ENHANCING VOICE PRODUCTION:
FELDENKRAIS AND SPEECH PATHOLOGY
By Georgi Laney
Georgi (Melbourne 2013) is both journey of recovery and adjustment to living with As is the case for all of us, learning to enhance my self-
a certified practising Feldenkrais acquired disability. I also wanted to create an awareness, moving and functioning in daily life
Practitioner & a certified practising Speech Pathologist opportunity to follow a vision of combining my is a life-long study.
with a keen interest in voice production professionally Speech Pathology skills in voice management with
Some of the benefits I am personally sensing with
and personally. She runs her practice, Feldenkrais my personal interest in voice production in an
my singing from developing my self-awareness and
Hunter Valley, from Newcastle, NSW. RAH. innovative way.
learning through the Feldenkrais Method® include:
I came to studying the Feldenkrais Method® from a Personally, I was looking for a vehicle to facilitate
• I feel greater comfort in sitting and standing while
background in Speech Pathology with many years greater self-awareness and hence self-growth. I
rehearsing/performing
of experience working in the medical model, in the wanted to better understand how and why I kept
• I feel more grounded and stable on my feet during
hospital environment. I am a Certified Practising injuring myself and experiencing discomfort and/or
rehearsals and performance
Speech Pathologist, specialising in rehabilitation pain. I also wanted to take more responsibility and
for 20+ years, working with adults who have self-directed action for recovery and injury prevention, • I feel less neck and shoulder tension while holding
communication and swallowing difficulties as a result rather than always deferring to health professionals to my music
of acquired neurological damage. I have also nurtured ‘fix’ the problems, as is more the case working within • I feel freer, more adaptable breathing, which has
a long interest in voice and have a passion for singing the medical model. Feldenkrais offered me these enhanced my phrase length
as a member of a community choir over many years. possibilities, and so many more.
• My pitch range has effortlessly increased
I was drawn to studying the Feldenkrais Method® Studying the Feldenkrais Method® has taught me to • My vocal resonance has bloomed
for several key reasons. understand more about HOW I learn and move. I am
It is inspiring that some Conservatoires have included
constantly learning more about how I can move with
Professionally I wanted to facilitate greater Feldenkrais as a part of the curriculum for trainee
greater ease, comfort, awareness and confidence.
self-empowerment of clients during their rehabilitation singers, such as the former Victorian College of the Arts
7 Feldenkrais Australia Journal June 2014