Are you a singer desiring both an outlet for your voice and continued integration of vocal freedom techniques during these strange times?

If so, check out Total Vocal Freedom Academy, where I teach a wide range of classes alongside a stellar faculty team.

Join us for explorations of Alexander Technique and Voice - we have classes every quarter of the year, and always welcome new students, at any singing level and ability. There are also courses specifically for beginners, and also courses geared specifically towards voice teachers and professionals.

During this time of a pandemic, having a sense of community, alongside a place to study and explore, is a key piece to thriving in uncertain times. Total Vocal Freedom offers this to its members — enriching content and a nourishing community in which to share your unique voice.

See you there!

POSTPONED: Due to Covid19

The Moving Voice (2021 - 2022)

Exploring the Embodiment of Sound

A workshop in Taos, New Mexico

What:
A 2-day workshop focused on learning and singing explorations using principles of the Alexander Technique applied to voice-and-breath-inspired study

Where: 
Move Into Balance Feldenkrais Studio
1335 Gusdorf Road 
Suite J
Taos, NM 87571

When:
March 28th-29th, 2020 
9 AM - 4PM each day (1 hr lunch break from 12 -1)

Who: 
Voice Professionals
Singers of any ability or genre
Public speakers or actors of any ability level
Voice teachers or coaches

Why:
To discover ease and joy in your singing, teaching, and life!

Teachers:
Darci Balkcom & Molly Kittle

We honor every vocalist and truly believe that anyone who is interested in using their voice has value to offer through their own unique expression.
We avoid hierarchies based on experience.
We will gather as a group of vocalists who love to make sound with intention to learn and play.

Dear fellow vocalist, 

Our names are Darci Balkcom and Molly Kittle. We are Alexander teachers, singers, and voice specialists. We are so excited to invite you to this unique Taos workshop, The Moving Voice, based on Alexander Technique and body learning for the voice. 

The Moving Voice work aims to invite you to both discover and create freedom for yourself in your own vocal journey, regardless of what level you find yourself. We’ll explore cultivating ease of movement through a range of everyday tasks and creative movement expression as well as identifying breath patterns and concepts. We’ll also play with expanding your vocal range and how you experience your resonance both through sound feedback and sensation feedback. We’ll use simple, guided movement explorations that can help you explore and trust your own intuition for movement, and subsequently intuition for sound.

We’ll work to connect the dots between your movement and your breath system, and also between your voice and who you are, inviting an unfolding of your own unique and natural grace.

You Will Learn:

• Universal principles for the brilliant human design
  

• How your system is designed to operate most efficiently
  

• Tools for expanding vocal range and enhancing resonance
  

• How to use these principles to consistently experience a free voice and body
  

• How to update old beliefs that interfere with optimal sound making

*We will be exploring in this workshop using Contemporary Alexander Technique, which means integrating learning through the activities of sound-making, movement exploration, and hands-on-guidance from the teachers. For those who are familiar with Alexander work, this might be a different style than traditional Alexander Technique studies focused on chair and table work.

Meet the Teachers:

Darci Balkcom is a singer, Alexander teacher, and yoga instructor living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Darci is a vocal teacher and Alexander Technique teacher at New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe and privately at her home studio. She leads workshops in Alexander Technique, Vocal Health, and Yoga for Vocalists. She is on the faculty at Montecito Music Festival, Los Angeles, teaching both Alexander Technique and Yoga for singers. As a guest teacher, Darci has taught Alexander technique around the United States at places like University of Texas El Paso, University of New Mexico, Rio Grande NATS Chapter, Santa Fe Opera, and the University of Alaska.

Darci holds a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from the University of New Mexico. In 2010, after experiencing severe tension and vocal fatigue for a couple years, Darci became fascinated by body awareness and the vocal freedom that Alexander Technique made possible for her to rediscover. Darci became a certified Alexander Technique teacher by studying at The Contemporary Alexander School, a 1600 hr program. Recently, Darci became certified with and an involved member of Alexander Technique International Additional trainings include becoming a certified yoga teacher with Barkan Method Yoga, currently studying Yoga of the Voice, and Body-Breath-Sound Technique.

As a professional performer, Darci has sung as a soloist in oratorio and opera with groups such as Boulder Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, La Musica Lirica in Italy, and Quintessence. Darci’s notable leading roles in several operas and opera scenes including Mercedes in Carmen, Terentia in Beautiful Bridegroom, Miss Pinkerton in the Old Maid and the Thief, Diana in La Calisto, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, and Cherubino in Le Nozze de Figaro. Darci’s experience and love of music spans many genres including, musical theatre, chant, gaelic, folk, art song, and opera. Darci is a very passionate educator and performer, constantly inspired to further her knowledge of the body, mind, voice, and music. She is dedicated to applying the principles inspired by the work of F.M. Alexander to her teaching and life.

As a teacher, musician, and artist, Molly Kittle’s mission is to empower her students and clients with tools to find ease, depth, and freedom in any activity. Not only is she passionate about conveying the power of natural movement and mechanics, she intends to help people access their own unique innateness and grace, so that they may lead richer, more meaningful lives. During her undergraduate and postgraduate studies where she majored in Vocal Performance, Molly encountered the Alexander work. Inspired by the vocal and expressive freedom she found as a result of studying the technique, she discovered her passion for working with musicians and serving others through this innovative method.

Molly’s experience and love of performing is quite versatile, spanning the genres of opera, Baroque, contemporary classical, jazz, and world folk styles. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in classical vocal performance from University of Denver and has graduate education in voice performance and pedagogy from Northwestern University. Additional training includes the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy, extensive training and apprenticeship in Body-Breath-Sound work, and an Alexander Technique teacher certification through the Contemporary Alexander School, which is part of the Alexander Alliance International (AAI). Molly also joined Alexander Technique International (ATI) as a certified teaching member in 2019 and values both contributing to and being part of the Alexander work's global communities.

With her current interests and studies including natural and barefoot movement, holistic wellness, and heart-centered awareness, Molly brings compassion, knowledge, curiosity, creativity, and kindness to her work. While teaching Alexander Technique lessons and workshops in the Denver and Boulder communities, Molly has also enjoyed a variety of guest teaching residencies at universities and schools such as the University of Texas at El Paso, the Montecito International Music Festival in California, the Dana V Music School in Colorado, and Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Molly is also on the faculty team for Total Vocal Freedom Academy, bringing the Alexander Work to singers, teachers, and coaches around the globe.

Tuition & Registration:

Early bird price (before March 1st) - $175
Event Price - $199

To register please complete the following 2 steps:

1. Click the link below to pay tuition fee via PayPal

2. Notate yours or participant’s name in the “Note” field upon checkout with PayPal

Click HERE to register and pay on PayPal

Or visit https://www.paypal.me/darcibalkcom

If you do not have PayPal, please email Darci at bodytunesstudio@gmail.com to register with a check or Venmo.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us:
Darci at bodytunesstudio@gmail.com
Molly at mksoundbody@gmail.com

Once you have registered on PayPal, you will be sent an invoice receipt. If for some reason you need to cancel before March 20th we will refund your fee minus $25. If you need to cancel after March 20th the tuition is non-refundable, but can be applied to future workshops or private lessons with either of us.

With joyous sound, 

Darci & Molly