Vocal Coaching Workshop
June 23, 2012, 1-4pm
San Francisco, CA (Flood Building)
Cost: $125
$100 for full-time students (please bring your student ID to the workshop)
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Work with Lisa 1 on 1
Lisa Wentz is available for private lessons. With exercises to improve vocal resonance, articulation, and body language, Lisa helps CEO's, politicians, trial lawyers public speakers and anyone deliver keynote addresses, prepare for interviews, pitch ideas and win cases.
1.5 hours - $125
1 hour -$90
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A vocal workshop for anyone who would like to improve their speaking skills. “If you liberate the functioning of your voice you will find you enjoy using it and will want to explore ways of doing so.” Michael McCallion "The voice is the bridge between the inner and outer worlds. If the voice is free it can reflect the inner world with great accuracy." Barbara Houseman“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.” Martha Graham This workshop focuses on the integration of posture, breath and sound. You will learn to speak with natural ease by undoing tension patterns that affect your voice and body language. You will learn to embody your message, and engage the listener while provoking thought, and feeling. With a deepened awareness of the mind, body, and voice connection the participants will gain invaluable insight towards affecting listeners in their personal and professional circumstances.
Everyone has the ability to be a great and powerful speaker. However, being a great speaker means more than being loud enough to be heard, and articulate enough to be understood. It means that as you speak the audience follows you; you affect them with the imagery of your words, and ignite an emotional and intellectual response through your own content ownership. This workshop addresses the physical side of voice work with exercises to project sound, sharpen articulation, and balance posture. We will also address the intellectual side of voice work, with exercises that answer the following questions: What is the objective of your message? How do you want the audience to respond? How do tone, inflection and the use of pausing help engage the listener?
Who will benefit from this workshop?
- Public speakers, sales representatives, call center agents, lawyers, politicians, activists, professors, teachers, performing artists, coaches, therapists, engineers who would like to improve their social skills
- Anyone who wants to improve their vocal ability
This workshop includes group exercises and individual coaching in a fun and supportive environment. By combining Alexander Technique principles of mental and physical awareness to voice work, each participant will gain valuable insight towards improving their public speaking skills, including how to deliver your message during business meetings, in interviews, at the podium, or in front of any audience where capturing the listener’s attention is an essential part of your success.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
- Techniques to develop vocal power: Speak with ease and confidence
- Toolkit: Learn resonance and articulation exercises you can do on your own
- Deepened awareness: Discover how physical tensions reduce the effectiveness of communication and how to release them
Workshop Structure
Exploration
- Phonation: Learn how the speech system works and how to use it
- Posture and Breath: Discover how body-use affects the voice
- Range: Explore your vocal possibilities
- Resonance and Articulation: Learn how to be loud, clear and direct while speaking
- Body language: Learn how non-verbal messages affect the listener
- Vocal health: Learn how to re-establish full vocal power, avoid over-strain and loss of voice
Performance
- Fundamentals of powerful communication: connecting breath, voice and body
- Status: Increasing listening skills and eye contact
- Delivering your message: the use of pauses, tone and inflection
About Lisa Wentz
Lisa Wentz holds a Master’s Degree in Voice and Speech Studies from the world-renowned Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, and is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. Upon earning her Master’s degree at the Central School, Lisa became the only person in California with a Master’s Degree in voice and speech studies, and certification in Alexander Technique. She has given seminars at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference, the Alexander Technique Education Center, and has taught Vocal Pedagogy at the American Society of Alexander Technique Teachers Conference. She teaches voice and speech for non-professional and professional voice users including actors, public speakers, lawyers, business executives and politicians. She is the author of the upcoming book Accent Reduction for the Individual. She is also an Associate Editor for the International Dialects of English Archives. Lisa has taught at the American Conservatory Theatre, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Marin Shakespeare and several conservatories in London including East 15 Acting School, Rose Bruford College, and the Performers College. Other notable work includes coaching barristers for the Queen's Council in London. Lisa's personal journey towards exploring the use of voice and speech began while she was studying the craft of acting in San Francisco. After several years of study in San Francisco, Lisa was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Shakespeare program. After receiving a certificate of accomplishment in Shakespeare, she returned home, and worked as a professional actor in the Bay Area for ten years. During her time as an actress Lisa suffered from vocal fatigue and eventually lost her voice. This incident was the catalyst for seeking lessons in the Alexander Technique. (The Alexander Technique is a form of mental-physical re-education and is taught in drama conservatories worldwide to support posture, breath and voice.) Lisa bonded with the Techniques principals of mental and physical awareness, and entered a 3-year teacher-training in Berkeley, CA. After graduation, she created and taught Voice and Alexander Technique for Actors at the Foothill Drama Conservatory, and maintained a private practice working with performing artists, athletes, and chronic pain sufferers. Lisa’s desire for further her vocal training brought her back to London to study voice and speech at The Central School of Speech and Drama. Her pedagogical approach encompasses her training as an actress, voice teacher and Alexander Technique teacher.
More about Lisa Wentz and her vocal work, here.
Testimonials from workshops at the Center for Personal Growth
What I liked about the workshop
"The content and structure of the course were skillfully planned. It was surprising to cover so much in a few hours. The course delivers key points that allows one as an individual to continue doing the different practices. In addition to this, the individualized feedback is the best thing that one takes away from it."
Maria Eugenia Rodriguez, Program Manager
"I received a lot of good coaching and great value from Lisa's Vocal Coaching session. She was very patience, attentive and professional. She was excellence with giving positive feedback and detailed instruction. Thank you, Lisa."
Meiling Yiu
"It met all of my expectations. I really like that it combined the Alexander technique w/vocal coaching. I also liked to see everyone's individual feedback. I thought that was the best part."
Carmen Erasmus, Landscape Designer, MPA Design
"Good size group, we all had personal contact and got to share, and there were enough people to enable us to see various issues and corrections that might apply to our own situation. Good intro process, and I appreciated the break after an hour - starting right in worked. The content was a good balance between knowledge and action, doing and talking. I felt the time we took in working on the spoken portion was adequate, and everyone got to work on issues."
Dan Weiss
"We had a very individualized session, addressing the personal needs and goals we wanted to work on in this seminar."
Marta Grau, Psychologist
"Lisa was very hands with the instructions which assisted tremendously with integrating the information."
Kris Campbell, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
"I took that workshop as a challenge to myself because public speaking is something I have a lot of fear around. I liked the workshop because it was small and Lisa did a great job of personalizing it. I thought the material presented was just right for my level, but I feel Lisa really customized it for me based on that. I think it's awesome that you have this center that offers so many valuable resources."
Darlene, CMT
"I liked the hands-on approach, with exercises and practices for us to experience. It was great that there was (...) plenty of time for individual attention and coaching, as well as the opportunity to see Lisa coach someone else. I took away specific and practical tools. I feel lucky (...) that we were able to get this type of attention! Although I have experience with somatic coaching, this was the first time I’ve worked specifically with the voice, and it was valuable introduction to vocal coaching for me."
Sheryl
What I thought of the instructor, Lisa Wentz
"Lisa,is not only an amazing teacher, but also a wonderful person. Her way of teaching to me is more a transmission of her self rounded work, and her inner being which is reflected in the way she works, and relates to people."
Maria Eugenia Rodriguez, Program Manager
"Lisa was great, she really brought out the best in me. I thought she was thoroughly qualified, and would definitely recommend her to others."
Carmen Erasmus, Landscape Designer, MPA Design
"Very good: excellent, competent, knowledgeble, and patient with everyone. Explained the material well without spending too much time talking; and she was very intent on everyone having a good experience."
Dan Weiss
"In addition to the clear benefits of the content and experience of the workshop, I was impressed by Lisa's skill and tact as a teacher and guide. She brings considerable balance and depth to her teaching, and as someone exploring the teacher archetype generally - and specifically where and how that energy flows within me - I had much to take away from your class. Thank you."
Mark, Bookstore owner and host of authors
"I liked the exercises and hands-on alexander based training that we received in the workshop. Lisa's strong presence and knowledge are inspiring to anyone who wishes to pursue a more courageous and confident way of speaking. The setting of the space was very calming as well and helped to ground me and feel receptive to the work. I feel, the knowledge I gained regarding breath and body placement is indispensable. Especially useful for anyone who teaches, performs or works in a customer service type setting."
Lisa, Actress
"She is fantastic.High energy. Enthusiastic. Good in pointing areas for improvement. She gaves us good feedback!!!"
Marta Grau, Psychologist
"I thought she was very personable and offered very insightful and specific feedback that definitely assists each individual with the challenges they face in public speaking."
Kris Campbell, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
“I was amazed to learn to see how the principle of “undoing” of the Alexander Technique can help me be more effective in my public speaking.”
“Lisa is great. I learned so much in a short period of time.”
“It was great fun to see how flexing the voice (tone, pauses) can change the way the audience perceives the meaning of my content.”
“It was very insightful how I can use physical means (such as breath, posture) to improve my vocal ability and at the same time be gentle with my body when speaking. It goes both ways.”
"I found Lisa to be very knowledgeable, helpful and passionate about the work. She gave me a lot of simple tools I can use everyday in order to improve my speaking skills, resonance, etc. I would definitely take another class with her."
Darlene, CMT
"Lisa provided a good structure for the workshop, moving us (...) in a way that provided a great learning experience. She is clearly knowledgeable, and provides feedback in a supportive manner. If the opportunity arises, I would not hesitate to recommend Lisa as a vocal coach to executives I work with to improve their presentation skills."
Sheryl
Testimonials from other workshops with Lisa Wentz
"I was offered two positions [at law firms]...all the hard work paid off. I did the breathing exercises before my interviews and had to do some advocacy during the interview, I used the techniques we worked on. I could tell the difference. It really helped. Thank you!"
Helen, Trial Lawyer
"The Alexander Technique centered me, released tension from my body and voice, everything I do seems easier...I wish I had found it before."
Tim, Voice Over Artist, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel
"Thank you very much for the workshop...I found it helpful and very enjoyable...the public speaking section gave me a huge boost of self confidence."
Alan, Business Executive, Time Warner
"I never thought I was going to perform live again...I no longer lose my voice...and my back pain has gone away entirely, thank you."
Alice, Professional Singer
"It's a miracle...I was always intimidated by Shakespeare...I did not understand it and could not physically connect with it...now I love it."
Julie, Film Actress
Register for this workshop today
Please see our cancellation policy
