After my shower this morning, i didn't bother getting into clothes right away, but slipped into my extremely soft, pink bathrobe and did some wandering around the house. i ate a spoonful of peanut butter and some crackers, and then i decided to practice singing.
I turned on the piano, propped open my book and began the unflattering warm ups that singers are forced to do. And then I began to warble for real. ("Warbling" really IS the only name I can give the quality of my voice. My instructor operates under the delusion that i am a soprano. I've tried several times, merely by singing, to disabuse him of this notion, but alas...) Feeling the usual frustration mounting, I suddenly remembered something i'd been shown two days ago by my instructor. "You're gonna think this is super weird," he'd said, "But trust me on this. Have you ever seen anyone doing tai chi?..." The idea was to sink down in your legs and shape the music as you sang it. To literally move slowly and evenly with the phrases, and to shape the rises and falls with your hands. Ted did it with me and then accompanied me on the piano. To be totally honest, I didn't find it strange at all! Being a dancer, this kind of thing resonated with me. And heaven knows it takes A LOT more than something like that to weird me out.
So, this afternoon, wearing nothing more than a pink bathrobe, I did tai chi to the sound of my own voice as the snow fell quietly outside my window. i stopped worrying about how poor my breath control was or how hard it is to sing a high D. it didn't matter.
Yes, i laughed at myself. And yes, I looked like a goon.
And yes. it felt great.
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8 comments:
Pear, that sounds like a great morning! I'm glad you wrote about it. Half of my voice lessons I spent on the floor in different yoga positions--it's all good.
And what corny things do you hate? I'm so glad you watched It Started With Eve. One of my all-time favorites. Especially love when Deanna sings "Going Home."
Sigh...that sounds lovely.
Mand, i had just read something depressingly corny, and i felt like my insides were turning to cotton candy and my brain to little soap bubbles. I don't know...maybe "corny" doesn't bother. Corny's alright. But "saccharine" bothers me! Yeah, that's it.
I am just impressed that you are taking voice lessons with a man mnan enough to dance around with you (and put up with your warble, if it be so)
I've been wanting to get into Tai Chi for years! You've just sealed the deal--if It can make me sing, I'm sooo there! Lobe your bathrobe and self soo much.
DISCLAIMER:
I would like everyone to know that as her roommate I occasionally have the opportunity to listen to Erin's so-called warble (when she thinks no one is home). I will have you all know that her voice is too lovely/good to EVER be considered a warble. Warble? Warble!? HA! Never.
Erin: My voice-teachers had me do weird stuff like that too! It is so, so great!
we'll have to talk. :)
Note to self: it is important not to confuse your morning Tai Chi with your morning Chai Tea. Things get messy, and I get cramps.
i will have to see this phenomenon is action!
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