This four-day workshop will introduce participants to the anatomy of words. Through an abstract process of deconstructing words into the unique sounds that comprise them, participants will explore a deeper connection to words’ meanings. Through an in-depth investigation into how sounds are made, how they differ from one another, and the visceral feelings evoked by producing them, participants will also strengthen their connection to speaking words from an authentic, full-bodied place, in order to be a more effective speaker.
The concepts of phonetics and the specifics of sound structure as outlined by the International Phonetics Association will be explored through a series of exercises designed to address students’ physical and psychological impulses in connection to the sounds they speak. Sessions will be spent in a variety of practical manners; engaging in physical exercises, sitting and listening, observing others’ work, and contributing to discussions. Feedback will play a large role in the workshop and participants will be encouraged to share generously their experiences and feelings about their work.
Participants will be guided through individual and group exercises in a safe and playful environment. They will be encouraged to take risks, and explore facets of their speech patterns which may previously have gone unnoticed, as a means to comprehensively understand and engage with the full potential of their expressivity. Individual work, in front of the group, will occur on a volunteer basis throughout both weekends.
A final presentation will be made by each participant..
Speakers in all contexts (teachers, lawyers, actors, parents, executives, etc.) will find this work useful as it awakens their awareness to habitual speech patterns which may be limiting them, and brings attention to the possibility of using articulation creatively and with intention, to help elevate their communication and be a more effective, impactful speaker. Actors will find this work particularly useful in aiding the process of building a character and in more thoroughly understanding a character’s relationship to their text.