This is a quick stretch for your breath that’s relatively unobtrusive and suited for public spaces like waiting rooms. Begin in an upright seated position with your feet planted squarely on the floor and your spine released into length. Folding from the hip joints, drape your torso over your thighs and take several generous breaths […]
Begin on the floor in a comfortable supine position. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for a breath or two, releasing into gravity. If it’s available to you, close your eyes to increase your access to inner sensations. Begin to lengthen and deepen the breath, breathing in through the nose and […]
Begin on the floor in a comfortable semi-supine position with the head slightly elevated on a hard surface such as a medium-sized book. Allow yourself to be supported by the surface underneath you for several breaths, releasing into gravity. Breath by breath throughout this exercise, allow for the possibility of lengthening, expansion, and decompression along […]
This is one version of a classic first step in a Fitzmaurice “destructuring” sequence. Begin in a comfortable position on your back. Allow yourself to feel the support of the floor, releasing into gravity. Slowly begin to draw the front of your body in toward itself. The knees will float up towards the torso, the […]
Pronunciation Guide for the 2024 Colorado Shakespeare Festival production
The exercise is simply to open and close the jaw: gently, slowly, and smoothly. While you explore the gentle, slow, and smooth movement of the jaw joint, here are some things you might cultivate awareness of: Can you allow the breath to arrive and depart on its own? Does the breath want to synchronize with […]
Allow the jaw to release into gravity. Place your finger tips on the jaw to ensure that it remains calm and open during this tongue exercise. Gently reach the body of the tongue toward an /i/ (EE) shape, then release the tongue back toward neutral. Explore this movement several times, aiming for slow, smooth, and […]
Lightly anchor the tip of the tongue behind the bottom teeth. Maintaining this contact, gently, slowly, and smoothly roll the body of the tongue forward. Allow the tongue to gently stretch. As you release the tongue body forward, can you release any excess effort you may be feeling in the jaw or throat? Can you […]
For this exercise, draping over a cushion is optional. I learned this exercise from Jane Guyer Fujita. If you’re using a prop, arrange yourself with the cushion underneath the shoulder blades. You may want additional support under the head. It’s important that you’re comfortable, so take the time to get your setup right for your […]
This exercise is adapted from one I learned from Nancy Houfek. Begin on hands and knees, with the knees under the hips and the hands under the shoulders. Allow the spine to drape downward, releasing the belly to maximize the distance between the sternum and pubic bone. Soften between the shoulder blades. On an exhalation, […]