*IMPORTANT VOCAL WORK

I am currently a third of the way through a 18 week course in Vocal Work  for Actors (not singing – speaking) and it is amazing.   I am reminded of the huge importance of the speaking voice and  I have been reflecting on how many of my clients need this kind of work.

Breathing and daily exercising the diaphragm and speaking on the breath and  ennunciating using all the muscles, in your face and so much more, are part of our work.

What a difference it makes to speak with diaphgramatic support instead of  from the upper chest where it is shallow and quite and thin.  The difference of unpleasant and appealing. 

Y0u want people to be attracted to your voice so they will listen to what you have to say.  And I find so many speakers with shrill voices teaching speakers to speak but I never hear of them teaching vocal work because there are so few good teachers in that area.  We happen to be very lucky in Portland Oregon where Devon Allen who was taught by Ceciley Berry of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has years of experience teaching and using these methods in her work as a director and actress.  She taught workshops in New  York to lawyers, improving their vocal quality, as well as actors in Londong and New York.

I’ll be sending information in the next couple of months about a very special workshop just for public speakers.

For the time being let’s hear about your vocal challenges and maybe they can be addressed in this blog.

Barbara Kite is an Executive Speaking Coach and a Professional Acting Coach who resides in Portland, Oregon www.barbarakite.com

*Great Speakers and Acting Skills Workshop Portland Oregon Nov 6, 2009

GREAT SPEAKERS AND ACTING SKILLS WORKSHOP

 

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, DEVON ALLEN,

 

 EXPERT VOCAL COACH WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR VOICE AND HOW TO BEST USE IT.

 

Speakers with Authenticity and Acting Skills always have the EDGE.

  SPEAKING   is like a  performance -   

                      you need heightened energy,

             authenticity

                                                      and   great story telling skills

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 I challenge you to try something distinctly NEW and more fully embrace untapped areas of your IMAGINATION, creativity, authenticity and power through COMMUNICATION coaching (media/public speaking/ presentation) BY AN EXPERT(30 yrs of training and experience) IN HER FIELD WHO GUARANTEES RESULTS.After over 30  years of experience teaching acting, I have learned a truth -you are far more creative, COURAGEOUS and capable than you can possibly imagine, and I can prove it.

bmkite@aol.com  503-423-7437

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GREAT SPEAKERS AND ACTING SKILLS WORKSHOP

 

 

FIVE HOURS

 

 WORK ON SPEECHES,

 

INTRODUCTION TO ACTING SKILLS

NEEDED FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING SUCCESS.

 

 

FRIDAY, November 6, 2009

 

 

10 am to 4 pm (1/2 hr break)

 

 

$200.00 PER  PARTICIPANT

 

 

LIMITED TO 6 PARTICIPANTS ONLY!!

 

 

PERSONAL ATTENTION TO YOUR NEEDS WILL BE EMPHASIZED!

 

 (see www.barbarakite.com for more information)

 

 

UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL

 

 

September 7, 2009

 

 

 You can learn a lot about the fine art of public speaking from Barbara Kite.

 

In doing my LinkedIn research on the topic, I came across Barbara’s website and blog. Her blending of acting techniques into the coaching mix is a piece that I found intriguing.

 

I walked away from our initial telephone conversation with some practical tips that I could apply immediately to my keynote preparation.      

 

  She is a highly skilled orator and well-studied thespian with keen insight into the process of engaging an audience.       I recommend Barbara to anyone wishing to take their public speaking and their communication in general to the next level.”

 

 

J.D. GERSHBEIN

Barbara Kite is a professional acting coach and executive speaking coach who works out of Portland Oregon, www.barbarakite.com

The Coach needs a Coach

Last weekend I gave two presentations, one for birthing educators that ended up lasting about three hours in total (sore throat – that’s for another blog about not talking that long) and at a freinds brunch that ended up having about 72 professional  women.

The later was to be “just” an inspirational thing about authenticity so although I prepared (YOU ALWAYS PREPARE), I still didn’t structure it for coaching – not a smart thing to do.

Luckily I had a life coach and friend and National Speakers Association colleague, who was  past state president, watching all this and could go to her to learn what I needed to do to make it better.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  I got a standing ovation for  my energry, authenticity and commitment to their needs.  What I didn’t realize was that I was taken away by their energy and let myself be more entertaining than empathetic.

My next speech is for a small group of business ladies at a posh nice hotel  downtown and I can’t wait.  I have to remind myself of my prime directive – It’s not about you, it’s about the gift you’re giving.  I was just having too much fun and moved scaringly (?) close to make it stand up comedy.  Oh well!  Live and learn.

Jennifer was smart enough to specifically name the solution – set up the structure and get the content from the audience, ask for persmision to coach people who have questions and honor their questions.  And tell stories about them and their concerns.

So I’m advocating that once in a while you have a trusted and savy friend in the audience.  Someone who can see beyond the surface, someone who knows what you can do and how to get there.  Get a  coach to coach you on your speaking because we all can get better.  The only way that happens is failure and learning and growing.

Thanks Jennifer Powers – a terrific life coach and amazing speaker.

www.jenniferpowers.com

Barbara Kite is a professional acting coach and executive speaking coach who works out of Portland Oregon, www.barbarakite.com

*The basis of all good speaking – EASE

David Mamet’s famous dictum offers us a great way to discover ease in our work. “invent nothing, deny nothing, accept everything”.

Do not push, do not try to hard, do not invent.

 But be open, be vulnerable, be willing to see and seize opportunities that arise, do not deny what happens or what you feel.

Denying will lead to inner stress and outer manifestations of tension.

Go with The Flow.

Lastly accept everything, decide what is within your control and what is not. Focus on those things that you have power to change and influence and you will be happier and more at ease with yourself.

from Mark Westbrook’s Acting Blog http://acting-blog.com/

Barbara Kite is an executive speaking coach and a professional acting coach in Portland ORegon.

*SHAKE it up

How about  a change of perspective? 

My Acting Coach would say you need to get their attention, shock them and change their perspective.

And although this clip doesn’t shock, I found it reminded me that I’m playing it safe and moved me to remember that in America we avoid the big emotions.  What else do we stay away from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gQ31m4Yt0s&feature=related

Chavela Vargas – La Llorona (Video Clip)

Just another reminder through art, that I need to daily shake myself out of my every dayness.

Just another reminder that as a speaker, I need to challange myself.  A reminder that I’m not using all of me to succeed in my work .

Barbara Kite is an executive speaking coach and a professional acting coach, as well as a keynot speaker, based in Portland Oregon. www.barbarakite.com

*Why I prefer the messy speech over the perfect one

I specifically used the word “messy” because it goes beyond “imperfect” and connotes allowing more freedom than most of us allow ourselves. 

 

I know the clients I work with need a lot of coaching to let go of the need to be perfect, not to fail, not to look foolish.  It reqiures quite a bit of encouraging for them to  be  even marginally messy.    

I once worked with who kept trying to be perfect in their speech and therefore were constantly checking and watching to see if they were or not, thus, taking the attention away from the audience and the topic. That means the energry is going away from the audience. This ends up with the losing the audience.   

The messy speech usually ends up not being messy when given by the “need to be perfect” speaker because they know the subject matter backwards and although they are afraid they will freeze, look foolish or lose their place, they need to be coaxed into realizing they won’t.   They’ll just sound authentic AS IF THEY ARE GIVING THIS SPEECH FOR THE FIRST TIME which is what every actor knows as the key to a fresh., engaging, authentic performance every night.  

And don’t kid yourself your speech is a performance – it requires authenticy, heightened energry and great story telling skills JUST like actors do.     

Letting go is the key to great acting and great speaking. Perfect the speech and then let it go. Screw up, fail. You can always include what you’ve forgotten later.

 

Don’t sacrafice connection, authenticity, humanity for perfection. The latter is never memorable.

see www.bmkite.wordpress.com
for more information about speaking and actng skills.

*PERFECT your speaking skills – Practice these daily

You need to practice to improve and to keep yourself  properly tuned and prepared.

Listed below is some basic daily work you can do to keep yourself in top shape.

1) remind Yourself it’s not about you by rededication to your cause 

(SEE “It’s not about you – the gift and the fear”)

http://bmkite.wordpress.com/2009/04/

2) do vocal work  - so important to keep your instrument golden

(SEE “The Voice and the Speaker”)

 http://bmkite.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/the-voice-and-the-speaker/

3) fine tune the all important  stories (sense memory)

(SEE “Sense Memory: Making Stories vivid and memorable”) http://bmkite.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/sense-memory-making-stories-vivid-and-memorable/

4) practice relaxation techniques perfecting your warm up

(SEE “Professional Actors Warm Up Before they go on”) http://bmkite.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/professional-actors-warm-up-before-they-go-on/

Barbara Kite is a professional acting coach and executive speaking coach based in Portland Oregon www.barbarakite.com

 

*3 vocal tips actors use for speaking

The first one is rarely addressed.

ENERGY – which is so needed in speakers these days.  Do you speak to an audience the way you speak in your daily life, with friends and colleagues, occupying a very small energr space?  You won’t draw people in.

Instead try filling  the room you are speaking in,  with your energy.  How do you do that?  It’s not about being louder.  It’s about being present.  It’s about imagining that you are covering your body over the whole area and make yourself  bigger.  Give all of you to the audience.

The second one is BREATHING.  Breathing before you speaking and speaking on the breath (not holding it – please).  Breathing before every couple of sentences.  It will center your voice and your energy bringing it down to your abdomen – the source of your energry and voice.

The third is SLOW DOWN.  Too many speakers don’t give an audience time to absorb what they have just said and rush forward with the next thought, thinking they are leaving too much empty space.  Pauses are your friends.  And remember give each word it’s total value.  Last night I had an actor in class who grouped his words togther  -  I’mvery  happy  toseeyouagain.  Give each word value and say the whole word.  Of course it helps if someone is guiding you.  Habits are hard to break.

Oh and just a suggestion – take an acting class.

Barbara Kite is an executive speaking coach and professional acting coach as well as a professional actress and director.  www.barbarakite.com

*Workshop – Great Speakers with Acting Skills

 great speakers with acting

 skills workshop

 

speak with the training received

 by professional actors

 

3294 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

PORTLAND, OREGON

MONEY RETURNED IF NOT SATISFIED AT END OF WORKSHOP 

visit web site www.barbarakite.com

OR

BLOG www.bmkite.wordpress.com

FIVE and a half HOURS,          SEVEN PARTICIPANTS

WORK ON SPEECHES,

INTRODUCTION TO ACTING SKILLS & VOCAL SKILLS 

FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING SUCCESS.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

10 AM TO 4 PM (1/2 HR BREAK)

$250.00 PER  PARTICIPANT

15% discount for early registration – before September 1, 2009

 

speaking is like performing – it requires, authenticity, heightened energy and great story telling tools,

Speaking requires heightened reality and that means you have to focus, be prepared, be passionate, be authentic, be present and be electric.

 

Where do you go to practice successful new techniques with a supportive coach who is an expert in her field – the person who can help you become truly authentic and compelling in your presentations and daily communications, the person who can give you the individual support and the unique acting tools you need to become a powerful speaker? 

 

 

You can’t practice new techniques in front of your superiors or co-workers or customers or audience! 

AND REMEMBER: – “CLIENTS DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE.”  Authentic communication lets them see the real you and the real passion you have. 

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“Barbara’s skill and generosity of spirit are evident in both her teaching style and casual conversation. She offers a great model of being open-hearted and spontaneous that is very inspiring. With her encouragement, I was able to address a large professional group, and hold the audience’s attention for a full-day training, feeling confident and relaxed.”“Barbara’s workshop helped me focus my presentation and pace myself very effectively. Her attitude about public speaking as a natural extension of our own personality and genuineness is refreshing and enjoyable! I heartily recommend work with Barbara for anyone who would like better skills and more fun out of speaking to groups.” 

Kate McNulty LCSW
(503) 295-6265
katemcn@comcast.net
www.Portland-Counseling.com *******************************************************************************************************

“Thank you so much for your coaching! What I got from your workshop was to be ‘present’ but not in a formal way, but in a more authentic way. And secondly, being myself and remembering that I had a ‘gift’ was also important—you were right, I knew more about the topic than they did and I knew something that could help them!”  

Sarah Seeland, formerly with Vesta Corporation 

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“Your workshop has given me a new awareness of the quality of a presentation. I learned that a presentation is not about you but about giving the information that you have and visualizing the information that is delivered. It was deeper than that and it is in fact hard to put into words. Thank you.”

 

 

Marie- Pierre Hasne (OHSU Research Scientist) Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 

You can have Authenticity and Power in your Public Speaking  

by learning and practicing Acting Skills. 

*Smart speakers know the PRIMITIVE DYNAMIC of the voice: the music your instrument can create to move an audience

FROM ABOUT.COM: SHAKESPEARE

Lyn Darnley Photo © RSC / Ellie KurttzSponsored Links Shakespeare Theater Tony Award-Winning Festival in OR. 

Lyn Darnley is Head of Text, Voice and Artist Development at the RSC, and initially worked in the theater as an actor and as a broadcaster and television presenter.  

Smart communicators aren’t afraid of iambic pentameter because they know the primitive dynamic of voice. 

What does that mean?  It means really good speakers realize that their voice has levels, and movement much like music.  And can affect an audience in the same way music can. 

Exceptional speakers know that the voice is an instrument that needs tuning and proper playing and constant attention.

Here is an excerpt from one of the most respected vocal coaches in the world.  There is much to learn.

“We go into rehearsals and work as part of the creative team supporting the director and actors by allowing them to explore these physical and aural dynamics of language. I think that language is becoming very cerebral and we are now separating ourselves from its primitive dynamic. Today, we tend to ask “what does that word mean?” rather than “what does that word do to us when we speak or hear it?”

The power of the spoken word is something that goes back to the Greeks and Romans in an age before technology. The most powerful thing is the spoken word. So my work is about going back and looking at the real visceral energy of language and what its prime purpose is. And that requires a fair amount of dexterity and physical technique because we’re much less engaged with language now. Speech is less engaged. We don’t speak with the same muscularity, energy or dynamic like people did before there was a visual back up for communication.

 Spoken language is primarily a vibration capable of physically impacting upon us in the same way music does.

So, Shakespeare’s language conveys much more than its literal meaning because it’s layered with sound, dynamic, explosion – language is actually very violent.

The sound and rhythm of Shakespeare’s language helps create his characters. You can physically feel it when consonants collide or when vowels are open, long, short or squeezed.

The English language is naturally full of rhythm, full of stressed and unstressed sounds. Iambic pentameter is simply an unstressed sound followed by a stressed one repeated five times. It’s very close to the natural rhythm of the English language, so it works very well. Ten beats coincides nicely with the length of a thought. But Shakespeare becomes really exciting when you break that iambic pentameter rhythm. The energy in performance comes from when you go against the iambic. You don’t need to study iambic pentameter – you just need to feel it, which will come naturally from speaking and listening to the text.

I think that the most important thing is to speak Shakespeare, not read it. This is because you need to get it into your body. The words need to affect you through the sound and through the muscular activity in the mouth. The words can’t do that on the page!”

Barbara Kite is an executive speaking coach and professional acting coach as well as a professional actress and director.  www.barbarakite.com