Finding my Pelvic Floor
I had my first voice class with a teacher from Toronto, Rae Ellen Bodie from the Professional Actor's Lab.
It's been quite the experience. I never realized how much your body's alignment affects your breath, your speech, you emotions. I also never realized that you could breathe all the way down to your pelvis. Today I found my pelvic floor.
What is your pelvic floor, you might ask.
This was mentioned in all of my ballet classes and I never understood the concept. And since I was too shy to ask, it took Rae Ellen's explanation for me to find out.
As you sit in your chair reading this, clench all the muscles in your nether regions like you were trying to prevent yourself from going to the bathroom. Hold it for a few seconds and then release.
Congratulations, you just found your pelvic floor.
And you would not believe the shit that comes out of there (no pun intended :p)
Not only is it the location of our body's centre of gravity, it also houses a ton of primary emotions. However, due to our mostly British puritanical society of old, we've been taught that it's a bad zone and that we should not go there.
But once you can let go of those muscles and breathe properly, your body is finally aligned, your breath can travel all the way through and you can truly go moment to moment with your scene.
I can't wait for tomorrow!
It's been quite the experience. I never realized how much your body's alignment affects your breath, your speech, you emotions. I also never realized that you could breathe all the way down to your pelvis. Today I found my pelvic floor.
What is your pelvic floor, you might ask.
This was mentioned in all of my ballet classes and I never understood the concept. And since I was too shy to ask, it took Rae Ellen's explanation for me to find out.
As you sit in your chair reading this, clench all the muscles in your nether regions like you were trying to prevent yourself from going to the bathroom. Hold it for a few seconds and then release.
Congratulations, you just found your pelvic floor.
And you would not believe the shit that comes out of there (no pun intended :p)
Not only is it the location of our body's centre of gravity, it also houses a ton of primary emotions. However, due to our mostly British puritanical society of old, we've been taught that it's a bad zone and that we should not go there.
But once you can let go of those muscles and breathe properly, your body is finally aligned, your breath can travel all the way through and you can truly go moment to moment with your scene.
I can't wait for tomorrow!
Labels: Always Training
posted by Nancy Kenny at
7:43 PM
6 Comments:
LOL
I like it too much to take it down. That's the Vagina Monologues in me talking.
That is unless you actually want me to take it down. In which case I'll respect your wishes.
Actually Rae Ellen's worked in Calgary too, so I wouldn't be surprised if she worked with One Yellow Rabbit. I'll try and remember to ask tomorrow.
What do they call it for guys?
By
Nancy Kenny, at 11:46 PM
You're the one I was missing in my list of links!!!
By
Nancy Kenny, at 11:48 PM
Sadly, and to my detriment, I knew where my pelvic floor was. I didn't know it was a BAD place though! Oh well. One more thing on my list of things to scourge and repent for.
By
Lucas, at 10:03 PM
By the by, isn't you, is it?
By
Lucas, at 10:13 PM
HURRAY for the pelvic floor! The more you get used to breathing there, the easier it gets to make it almost automatic. It dredges up such lovely stuff, and I don't mean the contents of your bowels.
For fun, try extending the image to your inner thighs, as if your lungs stretched down into your legs. YMMV but I've found that it really opens up the hips and lower body.
By
Anonymous, at 4:57 PM
I am so glad people actually undertstand what this is.
Lucas, yes it's me sort of. The MErcy credit is mine but I was never phone booth woman. IMDB screwed up and I don't know how to change it.
By
Nancy Kenny, at 9:30 AM
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