Voice

Voice

Our voice is the way we connect to each other.

…these days more than ever.  The further we get away from our colleagues, students, people, and with only a screen image between us, our voice  defines us.  And when the screen image disappears, and we’re on phone calls,  podcasts, audio, it becomes the only way our audience connects with us.  Our voice is utterly unique to us…. like a fingerprint.

We talk for our jobs – sometimes for hours on end.  We warm up our bodies, before movement and endurance sports.  Voice is a physical action and speaking is an endurance sport.  Do you warm up your voice before a full athletic day of vocal demands?   Do you end up with a sore throat or are you physically and mentally exhausted at the end of a full Zoom day?  It’s easy to fix.  And fun.

In this hands-on no-fluff skills-learning Voice Finding Freedom and Focus  workshop we’ll:

  • Learn breathing for speaking. It’s distinct from breathing for exercise or non-talking
  • Releasing vocal strain by releasing specific muscles and connective tissue lines of pull
  • Increase our speech choices by working on specific articulation muscles
  • Lead our audience by using melody, pace, pitch, volume
  • Increase voice production with efficient specific muscle efforts
  • Reduce stress and/or presentation anxiety
  • Take-away 8-minute daily warm up to use today and for life

You’ll get to know different parts of your physical voice and the muscles and soft tissues that need strengthening and those that crave release.  You’ll learn specific techniques to gain freedom in your voice and speech and become more empowered in the process.  These skills are a distillation of a multi-discipline approach, which includes respiration, voice & speech anatomy, release work from physical habits that can inhibit voice musculature & precise physical and muscular actions, which make up articulation and speech choices. By this multi-prong strategy, we’ll enhance vocal resonance and projection and reduce muscle fatigue.

The approach is goal oriented, but also playful and fun.  Easy to put in to practice, you will be able to use these skills right away… and tap into them for life.

Who is this course for?  Do you have a voice?  This is for you.

What people are saying

“This was the best presentation on Presentation Skills I have seen. Fran truly made it her own with personal stories, fears and strengths. It was utterly fantastic. The huge group (250 people) at the USA Face-2-Face meeting was riveted to her as she spoke. Really, no exaggeration. The way she tied the material to her own stories and to the roles of the audience was brilliant! I have sat through several other presentations on public speaking, and presentation skills with external vendors and none of them even come close to the value and best use of someone’s time. Standing ovation for Fran – “Freakin’ Awesome Job!!!””

-Dawn  Pharma company – Global Head of Training

Pilates Method Alliance Conference 2017 (PMA Conference is the Pilates industry’s Annual Pilates Conference for ~3000 participants from over 150 countries)

“It is the first PMA workshop that truly inspired me.”

– anonymous feedback from student at Fran’s workshop

“Fran, I’m waiting for your TedTalk.  I was riveted to your every word. Thank you for this workshop – it is a game-changer for me.”

 – Jaime

Pilates Method Alliance Annual Conference (PMA) – Presentation and Voice Skills for the Pilates Professional 2017

“I learned so many new public speaking skills that have helped me not only as a Pilates teacher, but also as business owner. My diction has improved and my confidence has heightened since completing Fran’s workshop and I would recommend this workshop to anyone looking to improve their verbal communication skills. I cannot recommend it enough! “

 -Trina Altman   Pilates teacher and Yoga teacher

Mari Winsor ALS Pay it Forward March 2018

“If you can get to Fran’s Voice workshop, go.  Fran, I am your biggest fan.  Thank you for teaching for our Mari Winsor event.”

 -Saul E. Choza

Pilates Method Alliance Annual Conference (PMA) – Presentation and Voice Skills 2018

“I have experienced Fran’s presentations firsthand at the Pilates Method Alliance Conference. She is one of the best presenters I have experienced in my years of continuing education. Fran is extremely organized, engaging, knowledgeable, clear, concise. She commands the room, yet is friendly, personable and supportive. Her experience as a chemist and clinical research gives her a unique perspective when teaching Pilates.

Fran has been a friend for many years, and I cannot recommend anyone more to present. She presented 2017, 2018 at the annual PMA conference, and has already been accepted to present again in 2020.”

 -Patricia Massey Welter. Balanced Body Master Instructor, Lolita San Miguel Pilates Master, PMA-CPT

Swedish Institute – Voice work for Yoga Teacher Training

“I am so excited to have you back for both our 200 and 300-hour trainings. The work you did with last semester’s students stuck with them throughout the training and really affected their teaching. Having you come again is a dream! Can’t wait to see you!”

-Victoria Yoffie.   Yoga Director Swedish Institute NYC – 2018, 2019

Pharma Industry–  Presenter and voice skills workshop comments:

“My dear Fran!!!! you are the most astonishing presenter I have ever known!!!!”

 -Marlene

 

Pharma Industry–  Presenter and voice skills workshop comments:

“Hey there, I meant to tell you last week how much I enjoyed your presentation on…presentation skills. You were obviously the right woman for the job! It was extremely topical especially with the huge number of presentations I have coming up. You are a total rockstar on stage, and I’m seriously starting out my next …”

 – Cory