BWW Features: Lessac for You

Years ago, when I lived in Los Angeles, I knew a character actor who was a little paunchy, and had an off-kilter face and thinning hair. Though his looks were unremarkable, he exuded a certain je ne sais quoi. When I teased him about his popularity with women, he gave me a conspiratorial wink and said, "My voice is the sexiest part of my body." I laughed because this was absolutely true!

When a beautiful voice leaves us spellbound, it's easy to assume that the speaker was simply born with a gift. But in the words of Gershwin, it aint necessarily so. Thanks to Arthur Lessac's methods, and instructors like Crystal Robbins, Anita "Jo" Lenhart, Laurie Mufson, and Nancy Krebs, a marvelous and memorable speaking voice is within everyone's reach.

To be candid, I was skeptical when I accepted Crystal Robbins' invitation to attend an all-day Lessac for You seminar at the University of Memphis. For one thing, I couldn't get past the fact that when it comes to voice, we're all born with an instrument. Combine that with years of ingrained imitation and habit, and I couldn't imagine what we could possibly learn in a day.

But Robbins and her colleaugues were undaunted by my reserve. For eight hours, they tireless led us through a series of explorations. Their premise is that to train the voice, one must train the entire body.

The first thing I noticed about these four instructors was the poise, confidence and charisma they exuded. Their beautiful speech was unaffected, natural and authentic. Hearing them for the first time was the audible equivalent of seeing a professional ballet dancer or gymnast up close. They have a grace, ease, strength, and bearing that sets them apart from ordinary civilians. They're also preternaturally serene. These committed voice teachers believe that if you change your voice, you will change your life.

Crystal Robbins is an L.A. actress who was employed by Aurthur Lessac and worked with him closely for the last thirteen years of his life. (Lessac taught from the 1930's until his death in 2011, at the age of 101.) Throughout those years, legendary performers flocked to him for tutelage. "Lessac Kinesensic Training," Robbins explained. "Is based on a holistic, spirited approach encompassing speech, singing and movement."

Crystal began the seminar with one of Arthur Lessacs famous mantras: "Yawn is more powerful than brawn." To drive home the point, we partnered up, did a resistance exploration and experienced firsthand how dramatically a deep yawn tapped into our reserves, and gave us more power.

In addition to boosting physical strength, yawning improves the vocal quality. Actor Morgan Freeman, perhaps the greatest speaking voices of our time, (aka "The voice of God") was quoted saying, "If you are looking to improve the sound of your voice, yawn a lot. Yawning relaxes your vocal chords and the tone drops. The more relaxed, the lower your tone, the better you sound."

That yawn exploration, like all that followed, resulted in notable and immediate improvements to our vocal quality. Yet we were cautioned not to focus on what we heard, but to instead concentrate on what we felt. This centered approach makes sense. If one's internal state is in turmoil, it's hard to remember--let alone manage--externally-driven techniques. Through the course of the day our Lessac instructors exposed us to the feeling of everything from proper voice placement, to body awareness, to proper consonant formation, to authentic personal expression, and more.

Taking part in this workshop required nonstop mental and physical engagement, yet I left at five p.m. feeling more energized and upbeat than when I arrived. In addition to feeling empowered, I walked away with a few easy and actionable techniques that will help in in auditions, performances, and real life situations. I also gained many new insights. But of course my work isn't done. Expecting that would be like completing one workout at the gym, and hoping to leave with a brand new physique. Like all meaningful growth, vocal development t is an ongoing pursuit, and a daily discipline.

Long story short, I've become a believer! Lessac for You was an inspriing, exuberant, day well spent. I plan to continue on this journey. Thank you, Crystal, for opening that door!