Voice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

60 hours

Completion of Semester 1, Year 1 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) ensures all students have appropriate background knowledge

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

VOICE is a physical activity, and as such, complements training in dance by allowing the individual to discover interdependence of voice and body. The focus of the work lies in addressing idiosyncratic habits, which may inhibit the dancer who wishes to use their voice generally and specifically, in performance. The subject will include a selection from the following: physical awareness of breath in the body, muscularity, resonance, and rhythm through the kinaesthetic awareness of voice in the moment of speaking. Students will be expected to draw upon their experiences of integrated Body Mind practices to facilitate the interdependence of voice and body.

This subject will enable students to:

• identify idiosyncratic, habituated vocal patterns and work towards freedom from these restrictions
• develop a kinaesthetic understanding of the relationship between the spine and support for the breath
• explore the connection between breath and movement and sound
• develop an awareness of the natural voice by creating a physical awareness of sound

• Students attend a mid semester interview with 2 staff to review progress across all subjects, including Voice elective - Mid Semester
• Coursework – active, physical and ongoing engagement in practical classes (including regular individual feedback) against assessment criteria: skills development 20%, technical proficiency 30%, work ethic 20% and attendance 10%. A formula is applied to a student’s actual attendance, which distributes marks from 10% to zero, where zero represents less than 60% attendance - End of Semester (Total: 80%)
• Written assignment (1200 words): Written work must be passed to successfully complete the subject - End of Semester (20%)
• 80% Attendance Hurdle must be met to pass the subject (100% weekly punctual and full attendance is expected)

Handouts available on the LMS

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. use a greater range of vocal patterns, freed from their idiosyncratic, habituated vocal patterns
2. demonstrate good alignment and strong spinal support in order to free the breathing process
3. connect breath and movement and sound
4. centre the natural voice by creating a physical awareness of sound
5. work with focus, energy and responsibility in class