Ignite your heart and soul with Sara Troy of S.E.L.F. Discovery Radio, as she interviews Bisia Belina about the importance of unleashing and integrating breath, voice and movement. In this interview Bisia explores how breath, specifically the out breath (exhalation), and flow of voice brings you back to centre.
Generally Interview Summary
When working with my (Bisia’s) clients as a RMT, the focus is helping them to let go of their “out breath.” To let go of the breath, because with exhalation comes relaxation. You become heavier and more connected to your body. When your breath and body connect you leave your mind behind and find space between your thoughts.
When teaching how to use the voice in singing, the focus is on the “out breath” as well. Here, breath and sound connect. Sound and singing is all based on allowing the sound to ride the out breath. Emotion is what gives sound, texture, colour and feel. Through movement the body gives rhythm and time.
Why is movement a part of VoiceWorks and SoundBody studio?
Movement is a way to challenge the fear that keeps us in the box of self limitation and fear.
Movement connects voice and emotion through the body.
SoundBody Studio teaches how tuning into your body, sensing your anatomy, coming back to alignment gives you a more “lived sense” of your instrument.
As a singer “You are the instrument”. Your body is the instrument and getting in touch with it is one more way back to center, back to self.
Sensing Anatomy and Vocal Anatomy workshops teach people how to get reacquainted with their bodies by exploring the flesh, the bones and space of their instruments.They learn how to be in their bodies and how to be present to its’ needs.
Questions explored in workshops:
- How do you connect with your body?
- Do you live with pain?
- How do you manage your pain?
- How does pain affect your breath, your instrument?
As sound vibrates, resonances increase in a relaxed body. There is less of an effort and more ease, more air and more joy. When you connect with your body, it supports your song and movement.
Improvisation is about self-trust, granting oneself permission, curiosity and exploration. All these skills apply to daily living.
Working with the Entry Points to Improv help us to be “present” to the lives we are living. This is mindfulness, not in meditation, but in action.
Examples of entry points are:
- Using words to begin explorations – such as syncopation of words, words and time, words and rhythm.
- Using story – personal or storytelling
- Using musical skills – How rhythm, time, melody, harmony are the skills we use to help us create “music that composes us.”
- Using body/movement – understanding one’s movement and understanding ones pain.
- Expanding movement vocabulary sourced from Chi Gong, Feldenkrais, Yoga and a variety of movement practices ex: Laban/Bartinieff movement patterning and dance.