An Article/Interview from the Youth Performing Arts site

This article was published on the YPA website www.youngperformers.com.au

YPA interviewed Aimee Blesing, a graduate of the WA Academy of Performing Arts, Acting course (2003), about her first hand experiences with Lessac Kinesensic Training.

The search for a holistic element
“I have always been fascinated by the voice and have taught voice, acting and dialect in various forms for several years. I found out about Lessac Kinesensic Training purely by chance. In order to further my knowledge in the fields of voice and movement, I started searching on the internet for international training courses that had a holistic element. The more I read about Kinesensic Training, the more apparent it became to me that this was the method I was looking for. I was yet to discover how right I was. ”

What is Lessac Kinesensic Training?
It is defined on the official website as, ‘unique in its holistic, comprehensive and creative approach to all aspects of developing the body and the voice, for speech and singing and as creative instruments of communication, behaviour and perception. Kinesensic training is a self-teaching, sensory-based process based on feeling the way the human body functions naturally when it is free of adverse conditioning. It then uses those physical sensations to identify, produce and voluntarily control the voice and body."It is a methodology that works from the notion that all energy is connected intrinsically. It allows exploration and understanding of our inner and outer environments so that we are better able to manage the way we function in performance and every day.”

Lessac Summer Intensive Workshop
“In June/July 2007 I spent four weeks at the Lessac Summer Intensive Workshop in Greencastle, Indiana, USA. One of my teachers was the methodology’s creator, Arthur Lessac, a truly remarkable and inspirational man. It was an experience that has given me direction for the rest of my career. I plan to continue studying the method until I am a Certified Trainer and can introduce the method formally to the Australian performance industry.The methodology is a true testament to human potential. It is comprehensive, encompassing, accessible, respectful of cultural and individual uniqueness, unjudgemental, uplifting and empowering. It has opened my eyes, ears, hands, toes, arms, legs, and everything else to things I never believed I would be able to achieve. Vocally, I have never experienced such rapid development in a healthful way, with no strain or tension, and exhilarating results – I never thought speaking and singing could feel so good! One of my journal entries from the Intensive reads - “It is so nice to do hours of vocal work and still feel GOOD – not fatigued. I love this feeling, like my flesh is floating on my facial structure – it’s like... a perpetual massage from inside” – and this is how vocal work should feel. It should be enjoyable, light, delicate, precise, and feel good. That is the most important lesson I learnt during my time at Greencastle. Find what feels good, find your way through what feels good – and I don’t mean just what you like, I mean what truly feels uplifting and free – and you will come through a better equipped and more flexible performer. That is the crux of healthful functioning.”

What are the benefits?
“Performers need to be in optimal condition both during performance and in between performance employment. LKT enables constant discovery and physical and vocal excellence. Tony Award winning actor Frank Langella is trained in the method, and swears by its benefits. Having seen him in live performance, I was astounded at how masterfully he utilises the technique, and how extraordinary his results are. You can read more about his performance in ‘Frost Nixon’ on my blog page”

Be a walking Stradivarius
“Our bodies are precious, intricate tools that ninety percent of the time we tend to ignore, argue with, and even abuse. But what we need to remember is that our body is a precious instrument that we must keep finely tuned. Arthur Lessac draws the comparison between the human body and the Stradivarius (most precious violin in the world) – your body is as precious as a Stradivarius, if not more so. Would you subject this precious instrument to the treatment you administer to your own body? Would you play your instrument untuned, leave it in a dusty cupboard, force it to play before you were warmed up, all the while knowing its rarity, worth, and potential? No, you would not. So why then do we subject our body to hours of torture and pain, and then get angry with it when it is injured, tired, or unable to perform? This is not to say that you must tread on eggshells. A beautiful instrument, unplayed, remains nothing more than an ornament. Its true beauty is revealed when it is played well, with passion, love and skill. Our body should be the same. Treat it with respect, love and care, show it what it can do, extend its capabilities through gentle guidance and fine tuning, and you will have an instrument that is more precious, incredible and capable than anything else. I don’t need to tell you that as a performer, your body is your most useful tool, indeed, your only tool. Treat it well, treat it kindly, and you will be a walking Stradivarius.”