Vocal Kinesthetics

In 1949, Donald Hebb proposed a pioneering theory in the field of synaptic plasticity and memory. This theory proposed that “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”

The neuronal connections that fired together are strengthened, so that those neurons are activated together during memory recall.

I have seen this concept proved time and time again in the voice studio. All it takes is one new repetition in singing to prove to the brain that it’s possible.

If you’d like to learn brain basics and how to rehabilitate it through simple assessment and movement, check out my Singer’s “fav” cranial nerves freebie and my upcoming Vocal Kinesthetics Mentorship in February 2025.

The freebie is pinned to the top of my page, but feel free to DM me and I’ll send you the sign up. Comment your favorite emoji to sign up for the priority list for my mentorship. 🧜‍♀️

Do you have voice students that wear glasses? Struggle with anxiety? ADHD? Spicy brains? 🧠🌶️

How often do you see your voice students? I’m going to bet it’s more often than the eye doctor. 🤓

“Your eyes are brain.” 🧠 👀

Everything you see is your brain making a best guess based on the pattern of electricity that arrives in your brain.

Learn how to assess + improve this system in week 3 of the Vocal Kinesthetics Mentorship (starts in February). DM for details!


For more:
Along with proprioception and vestibular function, the visual system plays and important role in the ability of an individual to control balance and maintain upright posture.

When these three conditions are isolated and balance is tested, it has been found that vision is the most significant contributor to balance, playing a bigger role than either of the two other intrinsic mechanisms.

https://www.physio-pedia.com/The_Postural_Control_System #:~:text=The%20visual%20system%20is%20the,%2C%20at%20speeds%20%3C0.1%20Hz

THE THREAT BUCKET 🪣 + SINGERS

Use this metaphor forever in the voice studio 🙃

This is one of the most profound metaphors in understanding basic pain science.

You can’t change what happened to you. Your injuries are real. Your pain is real.
The only thing you can do is assess your threats and see which ones you can take out of your bucket, NOW.
🤸🏻‍♀️As singing teachers, we are movement professionals AND we can stay in our lane and make a HUGE difference by clearing blurry/smudgy proprioceptive maps. This will reduce threats QUICK.

Some ideas that help increase the gap between hitting audition anxiety, technical blocks and not:

💧 Hydration
🥦 Nutrition
😴 Sleep
☎️ Calling a good friend
🌳 Getting outside for a walk
👩🏽‍💻 Watch funny videos
🤚🏽 Bodywork
🧘🏻‍♀️ Meditation
🎵 Music
👁 Practicing eye exercises
👂🏼 Practicing inner ear exercises
📌Increasing sensation on numb areas of your body
👃🏽Smelling (eyes closed, one nostril at a time)
😹Laughing
🙄Holding eyes up for 10 seconds
🌬Focused breathwork
🦶Foot Massage
❤️‍🩹Forgiveness
🤸🏻‍♀️Inversions
🛌Stillness
📚Education on Pain
🗣Communication with someone you trust
🤤Gargling
😌Humming
🌹Pelvic Floor Exercises
🧠Cranial Nerve Exercises

Notice how none of these options seem like they have anything to do with your physical pain?

⬇️Your job is to remove threats from your nervous system so you have more room to live your life and a dang laundry basket won’t take you out for 6 weeks.

Drop your fav emoji to get more info on my 10 week mentorship. Sign-ups open January 27!

This is a starting point for students who are very self-critical.

Maybe it’s the student that doesn’t feel changes or doesn’t know how to replicate them on their own. Practicing anxiety and avoidance is a real thing that we need solutions too as boys teachers! 👩‍🏫

I was definitely the Student for a long time through Opera school 1 and Opera school 2. Boy do I wish I had these tools! 🧰

If you have any nerve issues or flareups, skip the nerve glide and learn how to do a nerve slack in my 10-week mentorship that starts February 7!

Median nerve glide:
Sing a phrase. Maybe rate anxiety or busy, self-critical mind on a 1 to 10. Then follow these steps.

Step 1: Straighten the arm and bring wrist into flexion (like you’re gonna high five the floor).
Step 2: Spread your fingers.
Step 3: Press the shoulder down. Keep the tension of 3 out of 10.
Step 4: Tilt your head away from the side you are working on.
Step 5: Move the arm in a circle to add more movement in the nerve.

Enjoy trying these out in your voice practice! Comment for Qs 💕

This is an easy way to explain how to improve performance for any singer in your voice studio.

Understanding how to take a good injury, history, how to assess and reassess your body, and the brains priority systems is going to make a much bigger impact than traditional methods.

What makes it an insane amount of magic is your special sauce WITH neurology!!!

I just want to point out that the brains priority is survival.

NOT performance.

So if you want to address priority, number 784 …singing (kidding) - you’ve got to make sure that other systems are not pulling that energy away from the freedom of expression.

Learn more in my 10 week Mentorship - but it’s more than that. You get access to future Mentorship so think of it as investing in a lifetime membership!

For more questions or to sign up for the free workshop - comment 🧠 ✌️

This FREE workshop is a celebration of my mentorship that opens cart on the same day!!!

Come get imperative FREE and VALUABLE education for all movement professionals (yes that’s you Voice teachers!) - ask your questions and try out modifications for some of your favorite drills on Zoom.

Help your singing clients move, feel, and perform better by applying basic neurology to decrease pain, and improve balance, breathing, strength, and vision (and more)!

After completing this FREE workshop, you will be on the path to being able to help the people that have seen everyone. Your voice studio & practice will grow in VALUE instantly.

✨Interested in being professionally exceptional, having some fun and mixing it with your special sauce as a voice teacher? ✨

Comment for the sign-up link 🧠🔗

Did I mention the FREE and VALUABLE part? 😉💵

Cerebelters unite! Here are two ways to assess your cerebellum: upper body and lower body. try these two drills out and see if you find any freedom in your voice!

1. Evita: bring your arms to the position that Evita gives us in “Don’t cry for me Argentina.” Make sure your fingers come together and they are flat. Pronate and supinate them. You will do a princess wave as fast as you can in this position for 10 seconds.

2. Pretend you’re in tap class: keep the heel down and tap your toes (and the ball of the ) on your right foot. Do it as fast as you can for 10 seconds. Then try on the left.

In both of these exercises, notice which side feels faster, more accurate. You can also take note of which side tires out faster.

Practice the side that was harder or try it while singing. If you wanna know more about this system and other brainy drills for the voice studio, the VK Mentorship opens next week!

Comment for the free workshop sign up - it’s a small slice 🍕

I met in Boston 2 years ago in a voice pedagogy class I did for Longy School of Music. thanks to ❤️🧠

He is a curious, well-educated teacher with a beautiful voice and a kind soul that loves to explore new techniques.

I was so glad he jumped on board for the online intensive this spring and is having great success with these new techniques in his private studio.

FYI - He hosts curated showcases twice a year (check him out if you live in Boston!) and performs musical theater and opera styles at a high-level (a quick Google search will get you a video of him singing a beautiful rendition of Meadowlark!) 😍😍😍

If you are looking to work with someone who implements Neuro-centric performance techniques into their Boston studio look no further!

Comment below to get a taste of the mentorship in my free Neuro 101 for Voice pros workshop ;)

Are you a voice professional…

* Frustrated by lack of education in teaching voice students through physical, emotional, or mental obstacles?
* Unsure how to confidently teach effortless belting for today’s pop/rock and contemporary musicals?
* Tired of repeating the same vocal exercises without seeing real progress?
* Overbooked, exhausted and finding it hard to enjoy your own performing career?
* Ready to expand your toolbox, individualize your training and achieve more impactful results with your students?
�This program is designed to help you overcome these challenges and transform your teaching. ✨
DOORS ARE OPEN!

Comment for more information on the mentorship and to see if it’s right for you! 🧠

You’ll learn how to truly LISTEN to the goals of the student (and uncover what’s under the surface).

You’ll start with a worksheet from my workbook that you can personalize as you take notes.

Then, you’ll be able to trust your intuition and feel CONFIDENT using the drills you’ve learned to modify them for the student in front of you.

You can’t go another year without having a framework to help the students you don’t know how to help.

You can’t go another year 💵 undercharging 💵because you know you provide MUCH MORE than singing lessons.

This is how to dumpster fire🔥🗑️🚨😷 proof your business over the next few years.

Comment “Mentorship” to start your investment in rehabilitation and hope for those who need it. ❤️