How to Breathe!

Media Release
Thursday, 26 November 2009
For Immediate Release

How to Breathe!

There is something you do approximately 18 times per minute, 1,080 times an hour and 25,920 times a day – and you don't even think about it: breathing.

If you do think about your breath, it's probably only when you're running out of it. And that feeling of shortness of breath – whether it's panting after running for a bus, or gasping for air during an asthma attack – can induce panic. Breath is, of course, fundamental to being alive. So why do so few of us know how to breathe properly?

UK voice expert Jane Boston has just written a book Breath in Action which explores the significance of breath to human life, from the role it plays in communication to the more subtle ways it interacts with our voice and being. Jane is coming to Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School next week to coach students and New Zealand voice teachers how to breathe!

“Breath is a major key to unlocking an actor’s potential both vocally and artistically. This may seem like a grand statement to those outside of the world of training actors. Most singers and singing teachers understand the importance of breath but young actors, for whatever reason, give me a quizzical look when we begin our voice work with breath. I often need to spend the first few classes proving to the students that breath has something to do with voice and acting. Jane Boston’s skill and research is a fantastic opportunity to re-examine the actor’s relationship to breath and therefore connection and voice. She is one of the most exciting voice teachers to come to NZ in some time.”
D’Arcy Smith, Senior Tutor Voice and Speech at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School

Jane Boston is Senior Voice Practitioner and Head of Artistic Research and Development at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Voice Studies from the Central School of Speech and Drama, London. In her 20 year teaching career she has served as voice teacher, acting teacher and director in a number of educational institutions and theatres, including the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Jane will be teaching the senior acting students at Toi Whakaari for a week’s block course and is also taking a workshop on Saturday 5 December, 10am – 5pm, for voice, singing and acting teachers.

This workshop will involve participants sensing the breath in the body:

• as a key to emotional availability
• to release and express the authorial voice in any piece of dramatic or poetic writing
• to find the voice in themselves.

ENDS

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