--- Isabelle Bracamonte <ibracamonte@y...> wrote:
--- Isabelle Bracamonte <ibracamonte@y...> wrote:
> Hi, folks --
>
> I could use some stage grace. I took ballet for a
> couple of years when I was young, and quit a few
> months after I got on pointe ("ouch" was the
> operative
> word there). I'm thinking of going back to it.
>
> I am, at this stage in my life, VERY unflexible,
> have
> forgotten all the moves and any sense of
> coordination
> or elegance, and am about 5 pounds overweight
> (that's
> 10 pounds in ballet language). Who here dances?
> What
> kind of progress can I expect to see (in terms of
> singing benefits or in terms of looking good
> technically dancing and stretching), and how will it
> help my operatic training? I vaguely remember some
> sort of "suck in the stomach and breathe up into the
> shoulders" thing from the dredges of my memory; will
> it hurt my singing?
>
> I'm planning to take two classes (1.5 hours each) a
> week for a few months, working up to four classes a
> week, and possibly five in a couple of years. (No,
> I
> never do anything halfway.) My current singing
> schedule is 3 hours of lessons a week, a coaching
> every two weeks, and language lessons three times a
> week. I'm also about to go get an MA in Italian.
> My
> voice teacher has sugggested that dance study will
> round out all this training nicely.
>
> Two questions: One, talk to me about ballet dancing.
>
> Two, am I missing anything from my schedule? A
> workshop or other performing opportunity would be
> nice, but what else am I missing? I have a BA (not
> in
> music) from university, so never got all that
> conservatory-type training when I had the chance.
> Alexander Technique? Or Pilates or Felden-whatever?
>
> An acting class? Fencing? Basket-weaving? Tragic
> Gestures 101?
>
> Opinionate at will. :)
>
> Isabelle B.
Hi Isabelle,
Well, as an ex ballet dancer myself I would say any
form of movement class can only be good for you. As
Mike found, he enjoys the tango, so that's good. The
trouble with ballet is that it puts great demands on
the body which most singers don't need, or have no
time/patience to put into practise. Let's face it,
it's a particularly unnatural stance required: feet
turned out etc. However, because of the discipline
involved, that is what I consider benefitial to a
singer. Also, dancers, and especially ballet dancers
are very good at isolating muscles and controlling
them, which can be useful too for the student of
singing.
I think all singers and actors should do some sort of
dance. I remember taking a post graduate class of
singers for a dance lesson when I was at the Royal
College of Music, and how they moaned when they had to
dance. I did remind them that a number of them would
probably end up in musical theatre where movement is
somewhat useful, and most opera companies have
Fledermaus and Merry Widow or one of the G & S operas
in their repetoire, and how many opera singers can do
a decent Viennese Waltz!?
If you get a kick out of yoga, then do that or
Alexander technique, do that too: personally it's not
to my taste and I always sang way below standard when
I had an Alexander lesson. Far too floppy, and the
laryngeal mechanism doesn't like that at all!
Best to all,
Ian Voice wrecker to the stars!
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