I need advice from singers and dancers – - – - PERFORMERS!!?
Question by Smile-Me-Tender: I need advice from singers and dancers – - – - PERFORMERS!!?
Hi!
I’ve been singing Hindustani Classical Music since I was four years old and have always been told I have a ‘wonderful voice’, but as of late it’s just been getting awful, and people are telling me how bad I am. My voice used to be cut and clear, but now it seems foggy and unoriginal, no matter how much I practice.
I want to know ways to improve my voice, any tips, excercises, no-no’s and everything will be highly appreciated. I am recovering from a cold at the moment, but have an audition for a musical next week. Eeeeep! The song is “Waiting for Life” from once on this island, if anybody knows that song and has any advice… PLEASE.
The next is about my dancing. I am very inflexible and would like to be. I cannot do the splits, a backbend, I can’t kick high…. I learn a style of Indian Dancing- Bharatanatyam- for only 4 years. Though it doesn’t require THAT style of flexibility, I still would like to be, as I live in western society.
I would like to become lighter and thinner to aid in my dancing. I have been plump all my life, so much so that it has become a part of my personality. I don’t want it to be like that… I want people to see me and say, “Wow, that girl on stage has such a great body!” I don’t have access to a gym, so home excercises would be nice. I’m posting my statistics here, if dancers could tell me how to change… and my body shape as well.
I am 150 centimetres tall, my upper body is 48 cm.
32 inches around my chest, 27.5 waist, 32 inch hips.
20.5 inch thighs, 12 inch lower legs, 8 inch ankle.
10.5 inch upper arm, 9 inch lower arm, 6 inch wrist.
35.5 inch butt,
12.5 inch neck.
I weigh 48 kilograms.
I personally think I’m chubby and need to lose weight and become slimmer.
I’d like to be curvaceous though… I’m hoping to get my waist down to 24, without losing toooooo much around my chest and hips.
I need to be lighter, not to be healthier as such, but to be able to move more gracefully and freely… and to not look as clunky on stage. Also, I can pinch up a lot of fat on my pot belly.
Also, how do I improve my posture????
I have two productions in about 22 weeks, I’d like to be fit and ready by then (if possible- I’m also studying!!)
Anyway, help of ALL KINDS would be sooo greatly appreciated. You have NO IDEA.
Best answer:
Answer by Luigi
- when you take a breath to start singing… try not to lift your shoulders. let the air drop into your belly.
- when you sing you should not feel it in your throat. try to feel it in your abdomen.
- if you sing your vowels with your tongue barely touching your bottom teeth it opens your air passage better
- when you warm up… dont try to sing lower or higher then you normally do or that feels comfortable. it strains your voice
thats all i can think of right now to help
and im not a dancer so i cant help you there
good luck
Add your own answer in the comments!
To protect your voice, do not practice hard, if at all, with a cold – it can do harm to the vocal chords.
It sounds as if you may be practicing too much as well – when your vocal muscles get strained, like any other muscle, they can get harmed, so if when you practice, you get a sore throat, leave it for a bit. When I practice I have two or three goes a day, no longer than half an hour actual singing, especially the first practice in the morning,although there are opportunities to study and analyze the music, perhaps play it on the piano.
I do not know anything about dance, but it seems to me that you could do worse than have a few lessons, or maybe a few tips from voice teachers in your musical societies. Also, it sounds as you may be working your voice too hard – find your range, and do not over do it on the extreme ends, whether singing or practicing, and do not over practice.
Use the Kamasutra and screw a good Indian Bugger. That will work!