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Sarah Whitten Voice & Movement

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The Jaw: Weak Link in the Chain

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singer.synergy

This Friday, 3/24 is our monthly Synergy Flow Clas

This Friday, 3/24 is our monthly Synergy Flow Class. The focus this month is the Thoracic Spine. Join us for this short (30-45 minute) class either live or catch the replay.
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When we improve mobility in the thoracic spine, it can make a big difference in how much ease we find in breathing and how well our abdominal muscles fire in response to moving, breathing and singing.
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These classes are free for members of the Aligned and Aware Library, and open to all others for $15. There is a 5 day replay for all who register and then the class will live in the library for members to access.
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Reg link is in linktree in my bio.
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#singersynergy #movementforsingers #breathingforsinging #singer #voiceteacher #voice #singersofinstagram

Do you have any weekend rituals? - Saturday mornin

Do you have any weekend rituals?
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Saturday mornings I drop in and ask my body what it needs after the work week and before the weekend if parenting kicks off.
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Early morning finds me on my mat coming home to my body in whatever way it asks. I don’t bother to change my clothes, I just move, exploring the books and crannies of tension, the places I feel physically stuck and flowing through the points of ease.
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I usually spend about 30 minutes with myself and it makes a huge difference in my physical and mental outlook on the day ahead.
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#singersynergy #movementforsingers #wakeupflow #embodiedmovement #play #parenting #singer #performer

New project cast on. - #mivervabeanie pattern by @

New project cast on.
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#mivervabeanie pattern by @handmadebychrisnkris using #zephyr yarn in basil and vanilla from @jaggerspun
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#fiberarts #yarn #knitter #metrowestma #natick #singingknitter

The Core-Voice Connection Day 7 - Resisted airflow

The Core-Voice Connection Day 7
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Resisted airflow
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Our deep core can work in favor of the voice when it’s well integrated, and one of the first ways we can explore that integration is through resisted airflow.
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Lie in constructive rest and think about a rib first, belly second breath in. Place your hands on your belly.
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Then exhale on a loooong hiss. Hi allll the way to the end of your exhale.
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What is happening in your deep core? Do you feel recruitment of the lower abs? Does your belly press up into your hands? Do you push down against your pelvic floor? Do you get halfway in and then start to push down?
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Tell me what you find in your body?
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Pro tip:make sure your upper body doesn’t get really grippy as you do this!
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#vocalyogi #corevoiceconnection #voiceped #vocalpedagogy #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #singersongwriter #operasinger #jazzsinger #musicaltheatre #musician

The Core-Voice Connection part 6 - How do your rib

The Core-Voice Connection part 6
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How do your ribcage and pelvis relate to each other?
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Are your ribs rung forward like a bell? Does your pelvis dump forward into an anterior tilt (or maybe it’s tucked into a posterior tilt).
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When the position of the two isn’t optimized it’s harder to get the abdominal musculature to be responsive AND your breathing will be different.
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First, can you relax the ribcage so it isn’t thrust forward?
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Next, thrust the ribs, take a breath and sing a phrase.
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Then drop the ribs, take a breath and sing a phrase.
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What do you find to be different between those two? Tell me in the comments!
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Moving around with your ribs constantly dropped isn’t very viable so we need to use movement to change how the ribcage and pelvis orient to each other!
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#vocalyogi #singersynergy #movementforsingers #coretrainingforsingers #voiceped #vocalpedagogy #thesingingbody #singer #voiceteacher #operasinger #jazzsinger #musicaltheatresinger #performer #singersongwriter

The core-voice connection day 5. - What’s moving

The core-voice connection day 5.
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What’s moving first and most when you breathe?
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Our body is designed for the ribcage to be the primary mover in breathing. Our belly moves in response to the diaphragm descending.
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Lie on your back in constructive rest, place a hand on your belly and one on your ribs and notice which one moves? Which one moves first? Which one moves most?
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Can you toggle between the two? Can you expand 3 dimensionally in the ribs first and allow the belly to move in response?
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I’ll link two short videos in my core-voice highlights section that explain more about the over pressurization that can occur if you’re a belly dominant breather.
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That over pressurization means you can’t access your abdominal muscles well!
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#vocalyogi #corevoiceconnection #voiceteacher #movementforsingers #singer #operasinger #popsinger #jazzsinger #choralsinger #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #breathingforsinging

Grab your spot and move with me for the next 8 wee

Grab your spot and move with me for the next 8 weeks!
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Live classes begin tomorrow, replays are available throughout the series so you can watch at your convenience!
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Click the link in my bio to head over to my website to see full details and register!
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#voice #singer #singersofinstagram #voiceteacher #vocalpedagogy #movementforsingers #coreforsingers #voiceteachersofinstagram

The Core-Voice Connection Day 5. - More breathing

The Core-Voice Connection Day 5.
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More breathing talk!
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Today: ribcage movement. Do your ribs move well in 3 dimensions?
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If you’ve locked down a part of your ribcage for whatever reason and it isn’t moving well, it’s hard to create the connection we want to the rest of the torso.
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Try these out
1. Hold side ribs and notice do they move laterally when you breathe?
2. Place hands on upper chest, do the ribs move there when you’re breathing?
3. Do your ribs move front to back when you’re breathing in?
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I work with a lot of singers who are missing movement in at least one plane.
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Getting the ribs moving well is foundational for the body as your instrument.
#singersofinstagram #voiceteachersofinstagram #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #singersongwriter #operasinger #jazzsinger #musicaltheatre #hiphop #contemporarycommercialmusic #movementforsingers

The next Singer Synergy Movement Class Series is o

The next Singer Synergy Movement Class Series is open for registration! We start on March 7th with live classes at 11am Eastern, on Zoom.
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Replays are always available to all who register, kept on a password protected page on my website.
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What is this series? It's 8 weeks of movement to help the singing body be well integrated. That means we do one standing segment each week that targets arms, legs and spine and we do a mat segment that is alllllll about getting the deep core well integrated.
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Over 8 weeks we progress to new levels of movement challenge. You'll be amazed at what your body can do!
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Included in your registration are bonus videos looking specifically at shoulders and hips, finding activation in the deep core, the connection to the pelvic floor and MORE!
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Registration information can be found on my website under Classes.

The Core-Voice Connection Day 4 - The role of the

The Core-Voice Connection Day 4
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The role of the belly!
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I see a lot of singers who tend to grip in their belly. We can grip here for all kinds of reasons: stress, unconscious habit and the desire for a flat stomach are some!
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It can take some time to soften the belly if it’s held. It can also feel very strange to breathe when the belly is released after habitual holding - you might feel as though you aren’t getting a big enough breath - you can, it just isn’t as over pressurized in the belly.
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Then, the other habit is when we breathe the belly tends to move first and most. That means we are over pressurizing this area. We WILL see belly movement with bigger breaths, but I don’t want it running the show!
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Tomorrow we’ll explore what the ribcage is doing when we breathe!
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#vocalyogi #movementforsingers #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #singersofinstagram #operasinger #musicaltheatre #popsinger #jazzsinger #voice #singer #singersongwriter

The core-voice connection part 2 - What’s gettin

The core-voice connection part 2
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What’s getting in the way of having an integrated core that provides a good foundation for our body and voice?
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1. Sedentary living - we sit a ton and don’t use our body.
2. Tension - you know what tension feels like and you know many of the places you carry it in your body
3. Your stress level - the nervous system is governing a lot of this!
4. Your breathing patterns - we’ll talk about this more tomorrow.
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Just releasing tension won’t allow you to have an integrated core, but it’s a great first step.
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Use constructive rest as a place to come to, to release some tension in the body. Stay for 5-10 minutes, slowly scanning the back of your body and settle into the floor.
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#vocalyogi #corevoiceconnection #movementforsingers #voiceteacher #vocalpedagogy #voiceped #embodiedsinging #operasinger #musicaltheatre #jazzsinger #popsinger #singersongwriter #singinghealth #singersynergy

The Core-Voice connection Part 1. - Your core is a

The Core-Voice connection Part 1.
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Your core is a part of everything that you do, whether it is breathing, moving or singing.
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How well integrated your core is, is hugely impactful on how you experience your voice and how well you move through the world.
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Join me to explore the ribcage-pelvis relationship, how the habits we have in our body can interrupt core integration, how our breathing patterns impact core function, and things we can do to begin to move towards better integration, as well as more ease in our singing and our movement.
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#vocalyogi #movementforsingers #voiceteachersofinstagram #singersofinstagram #singer #performer #opera #musicaltheater #singersongwriter #hiphop #jazzsingersofinstagram

A super grainy old video from 1990 of 16 year old

A super grainy old video from 1990 of 16 year old me singing Cunegonde in Candide.
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I look back now and it’s kind of mind boggling to me that I pulled this role off. I’d never had voice lessons, didn’t really know how to play piano or read music, and knew nothing about singing.
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What I had was a really good ear and the ability to pick notes out on our piano at home. And that’s what I did to learn each and every song in the show 😳😳😳
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#vocalyogi #musicaltheater #singer #candide #cunegonde #musician #voiceteacher

Ohhhh ya’ll. - I listened to this amazing podcas

Ohhhh ya’ll.
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I listened to this amazing podcast this weekend, @tendherwild that my dear friend @fashunfit alerted me to.
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The podcast was a convo with @kyliepatchett and this phrase she said echoed in my mind like a huge, loud gong.
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Be reverent with your resources.
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I don’t know about you but 2023 has me super aware of how limited my resources are and I know I need to be very mindful of my energy so I don’t meet my terrible friend burn out. I can say if it’s because of the multi-year pandemic, the demands of parenting or my perimenopausal state, or all of the above, but here I am.
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So, it’s my mantra for this week. Join me in repeating it.
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Are you reverent with your resources?
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#vocalyogi #voice #wildandfuckingfree #performer #momlife #midlife #womenempowerment #voiceteacher #embodiedmovement

A week away does wonders for the soul. - What’s

A week away does wonders for the soul.
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What’s your favorite vacation spot?
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#vocalyogi #voice #singer #ocean #rechargeyoursoul #sandandsurf #florida #vacation

I was at the beach last week, soaking in the sun,

I was at the beach last week, soaking in the sun, swimming in the warm salt water, and getting lots of barefoot time in.
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Living in New England, my feet spend a fair amount of time each year encased in boots. I mostly wear Xero winter boots so they are minimal, but it’s still very different from walking barefoot on varied terrain.
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Our annual February beach trip is always the re-awakening for my feet. It is inevitable after the first day of walking on sand and shells that I have sore calves and tired achy feet.
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But by day 7, that final beach walk is glorious and my body has adapted to the new surfaces and inputs.
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Now, if only the weather at home would warm up soon so I can get more barefoot time here too!
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Do you go barefoot much? Strong, mobile feet benefit us all the way up to our larynx!
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#vocalyogi #gulfofmexico #beachwalk #movementforsingers #voice #singer #voiceteacher #vacation #florida

See you in a week!

See you in a week!

My valentines, my hearts walking around outside my

My valentines, my hearts walking around outside my body, my people.
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#vocalyogi #family #momlife #metrowestma #natick

I'm thrilled to feature Aligned and Aware member C

I'm thrilled to feature Aligned and Aware member Catherine K. Brown @ckbvoice
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Catherine shares:
I am a singing teacher who specializes in teaching musical theater voice to advanced high school performers. I also teach mindfulness classes to people with voice disorders. (I have three voice disorders myself.)
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Fill in the blank: "The Voice is... deeply complex"
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What is the first album you ever owned? Annie (the soundtrack to the 1982 film)
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What is your favorite (or first) concert you've ever attended?*
Thomas Hampson's Song of America recital at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia
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Dogs or Cats? dogs
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What songs are on repeat for you right now? Whatever my students are learning
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When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Maria von Trapp or Julie Andrews
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When you aren't singing or teaching singing, what do you love to do? Gardening and/or composting
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What is your favorite video in the library and why? Legs up a wall pose; I discover and release new areas of tension every time I do it.
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If you have an album, performance, program, class, business opportunity etc coming up soon, please share details on what, when, where and how people can access it!
I'm really excited about my mindfulness classes for people with voice disorders. The curriculum has been tested as part of a research study, and the participant feedback has been enthusiastic. http://www.catherinekbrown.com/mindfulness
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#vocalyogi #mindfulnessforsingers #alignedandaware #voiceteacher #singer #performer #musicaltheater

Singers, how often do you think about your spine a

Singers, how often do you think about your spine as it relates to your voice?
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The spine is a central hub in our body. It serves as protection for the spinal cord, provides structural support for the body and serves as a place of attachment for muscles and ligaments. It also connects upper and lower body, like a a suspension bridge.
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When the spine is well balanced it allows for fluid movement throughout the body. With the ribcage attaching to the spine and the larynx sitting just inside the cervical vertebrae, spinal function is crucial to the singing body.
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I've got an updated blog post for you called
Pyramids and Pearls, Anatomy for Singers: The Spine, that gets into the spine, its function and its importance to the singing body.
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Link to the blog is in linktree in my bio.
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Or here: https://sarahwhitten.com/blog/anatomy_singers_spine/
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#vocalyogi #singersynergy #movementforsingers #voiceped #vocalpedagogy #spine #anatomyforsingers

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