Table Of ContentRunning head: SOMATIC EDUCATION AND VOICE PEDAGOGY
APPLICATIONS OF SOMATIC EDUCATION PRINCIPLES TO
VOICE PEDAGOGY
By
ALISON J. MINGLE
A dissertation submitted to the
Mason Gross School of the Arts
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of
Doctor of Musical Arts
Graduate Program in Music
Written under the direction of
Dr. Stephanie Cronenberg
And approved by
______________________________
Dr. Stephanie Cronenberg
______________________________
Dr. William Berz
______________________________
Professor Judith Nicosia
______________________________
Dr. Kathy Price
New Brunswick, New Jersey
May, 2018
SOMATIC EDUCATION AND VOICE PEDAGOGY
ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
Applications of Somatic Education Principles to Voice Pedagogy
By ALISON J. MINGLE
Dissertation Director:
Dr. Stephanie Cronenberg
Students of voice are trained in complex processes of coordinated movements,
many of which occur internally. Somatic education techniques may promote
complementary skills, such as the ability to integrate the mind and body, to move with
ease and efficiency, and to intervene with awareness and volition against interfering
habits. After examining three related approaches to somatic education, a multiple case
study was conducted on three professional voice teachers, each of whom is also certified
in the somatic education disciplines of the Alexander Technique, the Feldenkrais Method,
or Hanna Somatic Education. Each teacher was interviewed three times, and observed
teaching four voice lessons. One voice student at each site was interviewed as well. A
comparison and analysis of interview and observation data from these contexts may
illuminate the ways in which somatic education principles can be applied to the teaching
of voice.
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SOMATIC EDUCATION AND VOICE PEDAGOGY
For Nana Barbara.
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SOMATIC EDUCATION AND VOICE PEDAGOGY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to express her appreciation for her advisor, Dr. Stephanie
Cronenberg, for all her assistance, patience, and support. She would also like to thank the
other members of the committee: Dr. William Berz for encouraging her to pursue this
topic, Professor Judith Nicosia for helping her find her voice, and Dr. Kathy Price, whose
comprehensive voice pedagogy instruction broadened the author’s horizons, leading her
to pursue research in the field.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I: INTRODUCTION 1
Principles and Techniques of Somatic Education 3
Somatic Education Principles 4
Sensitivity and awareness improve with practice. 4
Learning is physical, emotional, and mental. 5
Habits are changeable. 5
Students can be taught to self-improve. 6
Somatic Education Techniques 7
Origins of the Alexander Technique. 7
Origins of the Feldenkrais Method. 7
Origins of Hanna Somatic Education. 8
Applications of Somatic Education Principles 9
Juli’s Jaw Tension: An Invented Voice-teaching Scenario 10
A possible Alexander Technique approach. 10
A possible Feldenkrais Method approach. 11
A possible Hanna Somatic Education approach. 13
Somatic Education Techniques and Habits of Singing 15
Rationale 16
My Somatic Education 19
Statement of the Problem 20
Purpose of the Study and Research Question 20
Key Terms and Definitions 21
Alexander Technique Key Terms 21
Feldenkrais Method Key Terms 22
Hanna Somatic Education Key Terms 22
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SOMATIC EDUCATION AND VOICE PEDAGOGY
Sensory-motor Key Terms 23
Delimitations 23
Context 24
Therapeutic and Dance-Based Somatic Disciplines 24
Established Somatic Voice Approaches 25
Eastern Mind-Body Disciplines 25
Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEW 27
The Development of Somatic Education 27
Mind–body Dualism 27
Social norms. 28
Technology and adaptation. 28
Cultural ideals. 29
Somatic Practices Emerge 29
Branches of Somatics. 30
Somatic education or therapy? 31
The Influence of Related Fields 33
Neuroscience. 33
Psychology. 36
Endocrinology. 36
Biofeedback. 37
The “How” of Somatic Education 39
How We Perceive Ourselves 40
Awareness and agency. 43
The interconnectedness of sensing and moving. 44
How We Use Ourselves 48
Learning and unlearning. 50
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Habits. 52
Habit correction. 52
Habit inhibition. 53
Habitual tension. 54
Habituated stress reflexes. 54
How We Improve Ourselves [With Help From a Somatic Educator] 56
Feeling wrong. 57
Process focus. 58
Comparing modalities. 59
Alexander Technique modalities. 60
Feldenkrais Method modalities. 61
Hanna Somatic Education modalities. 63
Learning how to learn. 65
Research In Somatic Education 66
Research from the Somatic Viewpoint 67
Comparing Quantities of Research in Three Somatic Education Disciplines 68
Experimental Studies 69
Experimental research on Alexander Technique and musicians. 69
Experimental research on Feldenkrais Method. 70
Experimental research on Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais Method. 71
Somatic education and music performance anxiety (MPA). 72
Considerations for future experimental research in somatic education. 73
Descriptive Research in Somatic Education 74
Teaching cases. 74
Research case studies. 76
Suggestions for Research in Somatic Education Principles and Voice Pedagogy 78
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Chapter III: METHODS 82
Introduction 82
Theoretical Background 82
The Somatic Viewpoint 83
Overall Approach 85
Site and Participant Selection 85
Participant Selection 85
Participant and Context Description 86
Alexander Technique case. 86
Feldenkrais Method case. 87
Hanna Somatic Education case. 87
Data Collection 87
Trustworthiness 90
Triangulation 90
Thick Description 91
Member Checking 92
Reflexive Journal 92
Clarification of Bias 93
Confidentiality 94
Data Storage 94
Labels and Pseudonyms 95
Analysis 95
Chapter IV: WITHIN-CASE FINDINGS 98
Alexander Technique: Victoria’s Practice 98
Use, Voice, and the Primary Control 101
Singing sets up good use. 102
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Coaching on use, not sound. 103
The Means-whereby: Guiding orders, Cues, and Movement 104
Verbally cued “means-whereby.” 104
Gestural cues of the “means-whereby.” 106
End-gaining 108
Feldenkrais Method: Mary’s Practice 111
Connecting to “The Part of You That Knows” 114
Connecting nervous systems. 114
Substituted effort. 115
Feeling knowledge. 116
Creating Conditions for Receptivity 118
Supported positioning. 120
Listening to a sound from far away. 120
Finding the stability in letting go. 121
Imagination 123
Imagination as a step of the process. 124
Imagination as a habit-detector. 126
Imagination as a substitute for doing. 127
Hanna Somatic Education: Caitlyn’s Practice 128
Awareness of the Internal Movements of Singing 131
Finding the onset. 133
Connecting tone to support. 134
Enabling the open throat. 135
Sensing the “lean and stretch.” 135
Understanding Existing Patterns 136
Habituated stress patterns. 137
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Sensory Motor Amnesia. 137
Pandiculation. 138
Unintentional movement. 139
Finding Words 140
Reframing students’ language. 141
Describing her own experience. 142
Helping students find their words. 143
Building Layers of a Pattern 144
Conclusion 146
Chapter V: CROSS-CASE FINDINGS 148
Targeted Sensing 150
Allowing 151
“Allowing” Instructions 152
Indirect Control 153
Accepting Intangibility 154
Observing Nonjudgmentally 156
Experiencing Somatically 160
Experimenting in Safety 165
Sensing Differences 172
Slowing and Pausing 179
Setting a Slower Pace 179
Pausing to Process 181
Self-Monitoring 185
Manual Self-Monitoring 186
External Props 189
Conclusion 190
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