SING YOUR WAY TO BETTER BREATH SUPPORT
Learn how to exhale, the inhale will take care of itself.
– Carla Melucci Ardito
Nowadays as we climb, crawl, stumble and even finesse our days living during quarantine there are more and more events to shock/startle you and potentially disrupt your breathing. Some news feed, the mail, a conversation at work or with family and what has happened to your breathing?
Every Thursday at 11am I gather and guide an intimate group of performers through a series of movement and breath awareness explorations as well as writing prompts in a workshop called “Tuning In”. Throughout the weeks I have been steadily guiding this group to sing/play with more of their heart but also with the best use of their instruments...themselves!
It’s easy to forget, whether you are a performer or not, that each and every one of us is constantly training our bodies and minds for better or…(I don’t want to say “for worse” but you get the point). One area I see many students needing more support with lately is their breathing.
Over the weeks I can literally hear the sitting in students’ voices!! I know it sounds strange but it’s as if I can hear a damper or lingering grogginess that says students just aren’t getting the same amount of movement they normally would.
And while this is what we need in order to take care of ourselves and our communities, there are things you can do to continue conditioning and enlivening your respiratory system in a fun and stimulating way. Yes, you can sing!
When you are learning to sing one of the things that quickly becomes apparent is that you MUST breathe! Before each vocal exercise, before each musical phrase, whether the singing is soft and sultry or loud and in your face, you need to breathe with intention. Not only that but if you are singing with a holistic approach you can actually remind your body that singing is a physical activity and MOVE too!
So right now lean into the fact that YOU are the instrument and worth investing in. Boost your system, center your mind...and sing. Your work, relationships, body and mind will all thank you for it.
To schedule a free consultation call to learn more about supporting your breath, write here.
