Awareness Through Movement: Feldenkrais Method
There are five key ideas involved in the development of the Feldenkrais Method: (1) life as a process, (2) involvement of the whole self as necessary for effective movement, (3) learning as the key activity of humans, (4) the necessity of choice, and (5) the logic of human development... Any action, to be completely efficient and effective, must involve the whole self. That is, all parts of the organism must support and enhance the act. When this is not the case, some areas either are not involved or are acting counter to the intended act, or both. This invariably leads to a greater energy requirement to perform any action than when all of oneself is involved, for if any areas are not involved, some effort must be expended to prevent their moving, whether the person is aware of this or not,” Nelson & Blades-Zeller state in their book, Singing with Your Whole Self: The Feldenkrais Method and Voice. It further explains the connection between the two and how to incorporate the Feldenkrais Method with your own voice.
When a singer practices Feldenkrais, they expand their awareness of breathing and physicality, connecting the flow of each movement just like how singers connect their breath and their notes. Feldenkrais Method also exercises core strength and balance, and this is very essential for a singer to have, especially since endurance and strength are needed for breath support and control when singing long phrases and high notes. It helps integrate physical strength through core and balance exercises and poses, and mental strength through training the mind and concentration throughout the performance. It makes us more aware of our breathing and respiratory capacity and how our bodies feel and react when we are practicing our art. It also helps overcome performance anxiety, which most performers experience. Feldenkrais Method also improves stage presence and helps to be more present and active in the performance and enhances mental and physical awareness. When this connection is exercised continuously and regularly, the body and mind experiences freedom in their own function. Joining the physical and mental state requires concentration and discipline, and when the two are practiced together, the performer is more aligned and aware of their own balance in performance and life.
These movements in Awareness Through Movement are done in a dynamic system– it involves connections and must move within the respect of the whole system. For example, if a student is working on the jaw, it cannot be just about the jaw, because it is part of the whole system, the whole self– involving dynamic movements. This is also explained in septic focus– when you solve one problem by creating another somewhere else– someone sees jaw tension, so the student does an exercise with the jaw irrespective of the whole system and then causes a problem somewhere else in the body and creates tension. Awareness and responsivity are always involved during this practice and connecting somatic singing solutions. The discipline of Feldenkrais Method and voice merges the mind and body connection to create a strong foundation for singers and musicians and creates a technique that exercises awareness throughout the body.
Author: Coach Kathrina Feigh!