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Love the Instrument You Live In

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 Sarah Whitten

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singer.synergy

PSA: there is no such thing as perfect posture for

PSA: there is no such thing as perfect posture for singing!
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We are dynamic structures that move on stage and we need bodies that move well, FAR more than we need bodies that can stand stock still with one part stacked over another.
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Do you agree? Tell me in the comments!
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#voiceteacher #singer #performer #voicepedagogy #voicescience #vocalanatomy #movementforsingers #singersynergy

Time to find another hat to knit! Finished the #mi

Time to find another hat to knit! Finished the #minervabeanie with @jaggerspun Zephyr yarn in Basil and Vanilla. I’ve got enough left over to knit the pattern reversing the colors, I think!
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Wondering if maybe I could finish enough hats by using up my stash of yarns to open a little online store in December…🧐🧐 I’ve got 4 or 5 already done.
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#fiberart #knitter #natickma #metrowest #yarn #momlife

It’s Friday afternoon. I’m waiting for my kids

It’s Friday afternoon. I’m waiting for my kids to get home from school, and doing a little professional reading.
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My chonky, fuzzy lab, Jazzy, likes to be just as close to mom as she can get. All. The. Time. She’s a sweet bug though that means I’m usually coated in a layer of her fuzz.
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Do your pets enjoy their personal space or do you have Velcro animals too?
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#natick #dogmom #voiceteacher #singer #fridayvibes #labradorretriever #yellowlab

Wrists! A place a lot of us feel discomfort. - Her

Wrists! A place a lot of us feel discomfort.
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Here are a few suggestions if your wrists don’t easily bend to 90 degrees!
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Start with some simple stretching and then explore adding load.
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There’ll be many more options to explore in todays Synergy Flow Wrists Class. It’ll be in the library by the end of the day. Library link is in my bio!
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#singer #wristpain #synergyflow #metrowestma #natick #texting #pianoplayer #knitter #voiceteacher

Do your wrists give you trouble? - The shoulders a

Do your wrists give you trouble?
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The shoulders are a great place to look and work on, but because we do so many things like texting, typing on keyboards and playing piano, our lower arms can be quite tight!
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Here’s a quick check in to see if your lower arms are a part of your wrist picture.
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✅ Bring the backs of your hands together and rest them on your sternum.
➡️Notice: can you get the backs your hands from fingers to wrist to touch as well as your thumbs?
✅ Slowly lower your hands until your wrists are at the level of your elbows.
➡️ Do your wrist, fingers or thumbs break apart to get there?
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We’ll take a look at the wrists in this month’s Synergy Flow Class, Friday May 19th at 11am Eastern.
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Class is free for full members of Aligned and Aware library with full access after and $15 for non members with a 5 day replay.
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Link to register is in linktree in my bio.
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#singer #movementforsingers #singersynergy #wrist #wristpain #pianoplayer #voiceteacher #vocalpedagogy #lovetheinstrumentyoulivein

Here's what's on for May in the Library! - Friday

Here's what's on for May in the Library!
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Friday May 19th at 11am Eastern we'll do a Synergy Flow Class focused on Wrists. This class is free for full Library members and open to the public for $15 registration, with a 5 day replay. If you want to join see the linktree in my bio,
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On Tuesday, May 23 at 10am Eastern, we're having a Library exclusive class for a full body joint mobility warm up. This will be a class targeting the most major joints in the body. The purpose of this class is to give you something you could do first thing in the morning - roll out of bed, do a little movement in your jammies and get on with your day!
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If you're interested in joining us in the library to be able to access these classes along with 50+ other movement based classes, 18 workshops, 10+ breathing explorations and a bonus of access to my Take Ten Program, check out the linktree in my bio for the Aligned and Aware Library!

Friday night at @rootsandwingsnatick is Unwind: Re

Friday night at @rootsandwingsnatick is Unwind: Rest and Restore.
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Inspired by @thejillmiller’s new book Body by Breath, we’ll use her Coregeous ball to explore breathing in different places in the body and also play with the diaphragm vacuum a powerful tool in your stress management tool box!
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Join me to unwind some of the stress of the last three years and begin to rebuild your resilience through this gentle, but powerful practice.
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There are just four spots left in the workshop and registration closes May 9th!
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This is in person only, an online version is coming this summer!
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#metrowestma #natick #mothersday #movement #embodiment #breathing #wayland #wellesley

Let’s talk Vagus Nerve for a moment! - We all ha

Let’s talk Vagus Nerve for a moment!
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We all have this amazing nerve that wanders throughout our body from the brain, through the larynx and all the way down to your visceral organs.
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We often talk about breathing as a way to improve function of the vagus nerve.
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But, sometimes focusing on breathing can make us more anxious and stressed!
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However, when you use a soft tool like a ball that you lie on, coupled with breathing, you can move yourself into a more parasympathetic state, otherwise known as rest and digest.
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Not only do we experience change in the moment, but with regular practice we can build our resilience and find our way more easily back into a state of calm.
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This is what we’re doing in May 12th Unwind: Rest and Restore class.
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Local to Natick, MA? Join me. Registration is in linktree in my bio.
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#natickma #metrowestma #momlife #stressmanagement #natickmom #wellesley #sherborn #westonma #framingham #movement

A poem for your Friday. - I hope your weekend invo

A poem for your Friday.
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I hope your weekend involves finding some stillness amongst the busy-ness of spring.
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#singersynergy #voiceteacher #movementforsingers #momlife #natick #metrowestma #singer #performer

How often do you lie around doing nothing? If your

How often do you lie around doing nothing? If your life is anything like mine, it’s probably not often enough!
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If I’m honest, this was my LEAST FAVORITE part of yoga when I was in my 20’s…fast forward almost 25 years and now I take any opportunity I can get to be deeply relaxed.
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This is a practice of regenerative, restful quiescence. You aren’t quite asleep, but you also aren’t fully awake.
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It’s deeply restoring and a way to rebuild your reserves.
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We’ll end our unwind class with an extended time in this non-sleep deep rest (and if you’re tired enough you’ll probably fall asleep and that’s ok!)
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Join me in person May 12th for this special Unwind event. Registration info is in link in my bio.
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#natick #metrowestma #momlife #rest #metrowestmoms #natickma #mothersday

Do you walk every day? - #movementforsingers #goou

Do you walk every day?
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#movementforsingers #gooutside #spring #voiceteacher #singer #natick #metrowestma

I’m teaching my first in person class since 2019

I’m teaching my first in person class since 2019!
Join me @rootsandwingsnatick on May 12th
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The last three years have tested all of us in ways we never could have imagined. We each have had our own experience of the global, national and local issues that have raged around us.
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If you are anything like me you've had many moments in the last three years of feeing utterly overwhelmed by the world and all that we have to deal with from pandemic, to parenting to performing.
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I created Unwind to be a class that helps your nervous system unwind and find calm.
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In the class we will mostly be lying on the floor, doing focused breathing while using the Coregeous ball to stimulate the vagus nerve.
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This is one of the most powerful and profound practices I have ever engaged in and I hope you will join me for this special in person class. PLEASE NOTE there will be an online version of the class coming this summer.

Space is limited and registration closes on May 9th. This is a fundraiser class for Voices Against Violence, a local non profit with the mission of ending domestic and sexual violence.
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More details and registration in linktree in my bio.
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#metrowestma #natick #momlife #performer #singer #natickma #breath

I’m a big fan of outside tools to help with move

I’m a big fan of outside tools to help with movement and singing.
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They provide inputs, help us better develop our ability to sense the body and can be like another pair if hands when you are moving alone.
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Every body is different so how hard or soft, how much squish, and texture each person will respond well to is different.
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It took me a while of playing around to discover that harder balls (yoga tune up like) in some parts of my body created too much input and my nervous system will respond much more positively to balls with more give, like a Franklin Ball.
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Do you use balls in your movement practice or in your voice studio?
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#singer.synergy #voiceteacher #singerlife #singersofinstagram #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #voice

I live at mile 8 on the Boston Marathon Route. - I

I live at mile 8 on the Boston Marathon Route.
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It’s the 10 year anniversary of the marathon bombing this year. All week leading up to the race there’s been increased police presence in town and helicopters sweeping for radiation along the marathon route.
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It’s hard to put into words even 10 years later what that day was like: I had family running the race and we waited for what felt like hours to hear whether they were ok, knowing so many were not. Not to mention the days that followed where we were directed to shelter in place while a full on man hunt went on in the metro Boston area to find the bombers.
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I feel an immense wave of gratitude walking to the marathon as I see the police from other towns stationed in our neighborhood and see the many state police troopers on motorcycles and in vehicles preceding each group of runners.
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It is so inspiring to see the wheelchair racers, the blind runners, those pushing a wheelchair, those with prosthetic limbs and all the other runners come through as massive crowds cheer them at every mile.
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It reminds me that we are all stronger together.
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#bostonstrong #marathonmonday #bostonmarathon

The Core-Voice Connection Day 8. - How does your b

The Core-Voice Connection Day 8.
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How does your body respond to sustained vowels.
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Try all the vowel sounds out sustaining each one at a low, medium and high pitch and notice the following:
1. At onset what happens at the juncture of lower ribs and upper abdomen?
2. As you sustain the sound what does your belly do: get harder, stay supple and move slightly in and up, pooch out, or bear down?
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See if the body response changes for certain vowels.
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Let me know what you find!
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#singer #performer #corevoiceconnection #movementforsingers #voiceteacher #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #singersynergy #operasinger #musicaltheatresinger #popsinger #hiphopsinger #jazzsinger #singersongwriter

#MindfulMonday - My body is home. - There are man

#MindfulMonday
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My body is home.
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There are many seasons of our lives that each open the door to relating to our body differently. Hormones shift, our brains remodel, our physical shape transforms, joint integrity changes, muscle composition alters and the list goes on.
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I will be the first to admit I never move through these changes very gracefully. It's a bit more like kicking and screaming, wanting desperately to rewind to the time where I actually didn't know to appreciate what I had that is now not there.
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For many of us too, we've had emotional experiences that impact how we relate to our body - whether it was commentary from family, feedback from someone in the industry, or more intense physical and emotional experiences of accidents and abuse.
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It is easy to be pulled out of your body whether you are in denial of the changes or seeking to soothe after simply surviving.
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This phrase "my body is home" has been rolling around in my mind for weeks and I finally decided to make it a mantra of sorts for my movement practice this year.
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As I utter the phrase silently in my head whether I'm lifting weights or lying in an extended rest, I work to stay an observer of what arises when I say it...My Body is Home...I watch what comes up, feel it move through me and let it roll away, like a wave hitting the shore.
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There's quite the assortment of reactions my being has to the phrase, but I'm learning to settle into it and be more welcoming of all reactions.
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Is your body home?
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#singersynergy #movementforsingers #lovetheintstrumentyoulivein #singer #voiceteacher #mindfulnessforsingers #mindfulmonday #performer #voice

A lil Sunday planning with my fuzzy co-workers. -

A lil Sunday planning with my fuzzy co-workers.
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#entrepreneur #momlife #dogmom #labradorretriever #hounddog #spring

Are you a podcast listener? - I was recently inter

Are you a podcast listener?
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I was recently interviewed on @thevocalhealth Thinking Voice podcast.
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Have a listen for insights into my thinking on movement and the singing body, why the deep core matters so much and many other topics that @jenevorawilliams and I covered!
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Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
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#voiceteacher #singersofinstagram #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #voicescience #voicecare #vocalhealth #movementforsingers

Join me for this special World Voice Day @worldvoi

Join me for this special World Voice Day @worldvoiceday event!
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Warm up Your Body, Warm up Your Voice will give you the opportunity to fuse movement and vocalizing.
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We will move through a series of gentle movements targeting the spine, shoulders and hips, and check in with your voice as we go to see how movement impacts your instrument.
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This class is appropriate for those who are able to get up and down off the floor.
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You will want a mat, a cushion/pillow to sit on and some blocks to use as props.
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Link to register is in link tree in my bio!
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Registration is free and there’s a 5 day replay for all who sign up.
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#singersynergy #movementforsingers #worldvoiceday #singersongwriter #singersofinstagram #voiceteachersofinstagram #voice #operasinger #musicaltheatrelife #popsinger #jazzsinger #hiphopsinger

Super excited for tomorrow’s Body by Breath mast

Super excited for tomorrow’s Body by Breath masterclass with @thejillmiller at @somayogacenter
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I’m working my way though the book thinking about the ways this work can enhance singer’s experiences of their body.
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Is it still work if it feels like play? Not asking for a friend!
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#singersynergy #voiceteacher #singer #performer #pressuremanagement #stressmanagement #performanceanxiety #breathing #movementforsingers

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