Voice Class Blog #5

Question: how does understanding the larynx and vocal folds help you become a better singer?

Answer: When a singer understands the larynx and how it works, they can use it to it's full potential and be able to sing without harming the vocal folds. If a singer does not understand the vocal folds, they could misuse them and cause serious harm to themself. Belting, if done incorrectly, can cause nodes on the folds and cause the voice to go hoarse and cannot be used for singing. A singer must understand the larynx and vocal folds in order to preserve their voice.

Voice Class Blog #4

Question: share stress managment strategies you have used for a speech presentation or performance

Answer: I simply cannot eat before performing. I use the adrenaline from hunger and to give me drive for a good performance. I do breathing exercises and dance stretches. I can't perform if I don't feel fluid and limber. I like when my lungs feel open and I feel light and able to react quickly and move on instinct. It keeps my head clear and allows my emotions in the performance to flow freely.

Voice Class Blog #3

Question: what are some ways you have been taught to sing words on high notes to increase clarity and diction?

Answer: I have been taught how to form my mouth to really enunciate my vowels and consonants as well as open up the back of my throat for volume so that I will be heard. I have been shown how to relax my jaw into the words and notes.

Voice Class blog #2

Question: How can singing in another language help one become a better singer?

Answer: It can help a singer with pronouncing syllables and consonants correctly and broaden their range of understanding with other songs. It can also help them to learn the language they are singing. Singing in a language such as Italian will give the singer a fluidity that will resonate through anything else they sing. Working with a lot of the classic songs in other languages that help stretch the boundaries of how far their voice can go. Having a good foundation in other languages and classical training can help you with any genre in music.

Voice class ejournal: 1

Hey everyone! I haven't posted in a long time, I know, but now I'm back! I'll actually be posting every week now due to a voice class assignment. To catch you up, I'm in college now! Yeah it was a long tough battle to get me there but now I'm a full-time student and a working nanny. Anyways, onto my assignment!

My name is India and I love to sing. I've been singing most of my life and am always willing to learn more. Honestly, there's nothing specific I'd like to learn from voice class. I want to be in voice so that I can sing twice a week and be in a class with other people who love to sing as well. I'm loving voice class so far and can't wait for the first performance.

That's all! I'll post again later on to bring you up to date on everything that has happened lately. Until then fellow wonderlanders.

Yours Truly

The Real Alice

Mommy Day, Graduation Count Down, and unexpected blessings?

Today, as you all may know, is Mother's Day. I love my mom very very very very very much and, even though I don't have the money to buy her a beautiful gift, I wanted to make today really special. So what did I do? I was obediant! I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but I've found that usually it's what moms want the most. Another gift I gave to her is absolute reassurance that I will be graduating on June 12th of this year, which is beautifully on time. It's been a long hard road working up to graduation with a lot of bumps, tears, and stress, but I simply can't wait for it to get here.

My two amazing best friends in the whole wide world, Laura and Kevin (who also doubles in this feature film in the role of my true love, oh how those two so often combine ^_^), will be there with my amazing family to cheer me on as I wiggle my toosh goodbye to the dreaded high school and all that goes with it!! Laura is flying in from one of the greatest cities on earth, Chicago, just to be with me as I graduate and party it up Dida-style for the week of and a little afterwards. This is such a huge blessing to have her here that I simply can't contain myself!!

My oh so wonderful Kevin surprised me with a bit of news yesterday. Apparently, we will be heading to Viva Las Vegas at some point during the summer so that I can meet his dad. No, we will not be heading back with matching bands decorating our ring fingers. I already promised mom that one. But it will be very interesting meeting this man. In the year and a half (so far) that we've been together, I've never even spoken to him. I'm a little (ok way more than a little) nervous. Will he like me? Will he be happy for Kevin and I? These questions riddle my math addled mind. I do hope he does and is. I'm quite anxious for this trip as well as my family's Disneyland trip at the end of June-beginning of July. I believe there will be some more fun and unexpected trips this summer as well, but as for now those are the only two I'm aware of.

I'm so very tired of math!!! Thank the Lord that I only have one more math test and then I won't have to think on it again until the fall when I start Sierra College. I keep kicking myself because I need to take the assessment test and have an orientation. Life has been so nutty that I keep forgetting. I'm so mad! But as Alice beautifully said, "I'll tell you a secret, all the best people are."

I know my post is all over the place, but so is my brain!! Between math, graduation, my loving Kevin, Laura coming to town, and meeting Kevin's dad? I'm not sure when I'll be able to have a normal thought again! Something such as "I'd like some toast" or "Maybe I should wear some sunscreen". We shall see in time! I'm sure it will only take until my schoolwork is all done and graduation is simply breaths away. Until my next post.....

I love you all, mad people.

Signed

The Real Alice

Tim Burton+Disney= A NEW Alice in Wonderland!

On opening day (March 4th, 2010) My mom, my boyfriend Kevin, his cousin Shania, and I loaded up in the car (I of course bedecked in my beautiful Alice dress and apron and some readiculously beautiful but painful heels) and drove to our nearby movie theater to view Tim Burton and Disney team up to tell my life's story (lol ok not my REAL life's story but certainly a huge part of my childhood as I consider it). I was very nervous. I simply adore Tim Burton. Other than Sweeney Todd, which simply wasn't my tipple and had nothing to do with how exquisitely the movie was done, I have yet to find a TB movie I didn't enjoy. But I was very nervous to see how twisted he would make my favorite story. I have done many research projects for sheer curiosity and enjoyment on the Reverend Charles Dodgeson (foremost known as Lewis Carroll) and have a piece of my heart just for him and for the sweet story that brought Alice in Wonderland into existence. I was afraid that our dear Tim Burton would follow the trend (which sounds absolutely ludacris because he doesn't follow a trend of any form, one reason why we love him) of bringing forward the rumors of Lewis Carroll being a pedophile and drug addict. These rumors offend me because anyone who truly researches the man knows that these were entirely false accusations. But this is another topic I will touch on in another post.

I was beautifully and pleasantly surprised with Alice. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, every bit of it. I have to say my favorite element was the wonderland-ful addition of the Jabberwocky references and details. Even though the movie's storyline didn't fallow the exact story lines of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (or Underground as it was originally published) and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, I fully appreciated this new, rather fan-fiction-esque story that was brought forth. I am a fan of (well-written) fan-fiction and always love to see new spins on classic stories and popular books and was very pleased to see the creativity and the truth to the characters involved used. My heart truly broke for the Mad Hatter (beautifully portrayed by Johnny Depp) and for some reason I wanted to give him a hug during some very desperate points in the movie, which i assume was the goal.

The White Queen (Anne Hathaway) was a very gentle character but I felt that Miss Anne's performance lacked somewhat in sincerity. The character itself was sincere enough but I felt the actress portraying her needed to tap in a little more into her connection with her. Overall, I liked her. The Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) was phenominal but not in the way I expected her. I expected the classic temper-tantrum-till-her-face-turns-tomato-red Queen of Hearts. What I found was a much deeper performance. I loved that the Queen was not just a selfish person (she was indeed that) but also a wounded one. She had much more under her layers of power hunger. She fought the eternal villain question "Is it better to be loved or feared?" The answer made me quite sad for her. An unexpected character, The Knave (Crispin Glover), I found to be well-played to the point of annoying. He was very good at his role, a selfish, manipulating second in command, which of course made us all squirm in our seats wanting to punch him right in the kisser. This, however, is the mark of a well-played villain. Well done Crispin Glover.

I LOVED the March Hare (Paul Whitemouse)! I loved how frantic he was throughout the movie. He reminded me of one of my favorite people, Kevin's cousin, Shania. She and I giggled and joked through the whole movie about the parallels between the two of them. He was throughly enjoyable even in the desperate times. He provided a wonderful comic relief for the tough moments. The Cheshire Cat (Stephan Fry) was much more clever in this telling than I expected. The Cat has always been a point of fun for me as I had my own Cheshire Cat once upon a time, but her name was Cleo and she was a great deal more silent (to the regular observer) than the clever Cheshire. I barely recognized Stephan Fry's voice during this performance. While I usually enjoy Stephen's natural tone, I loved this new, smoother, deeper sound he gave for the Cat. A wonderful job, Mr. Fry. The Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), The Tweedles (Matt Lucas), and The Caterpillar (the ever marvelous Alan Rickman) all gave wonderful performances. I desired more from each of them and felt that there simply wasn't enough screen time for each. Their characters were very well done and the detail on their animation left me stunned with the quality.

I know I've not gone through all of the characters, and I aplogize if I haven't mentioned your favorite, but I simply must move onto my favorite character of all time. Alice.

Alice. Well what can I say? The acting was wonderful. Mia Wasikowska was beautiful and dressed in truly amazing costumes. She did a wonderful job. Of course I was seethingly jealous and at first could not admit this as I've always wanted to be Alice in a movie, but indeed she was wonderful. There were times that, as an actress myself, I felt areas of her performance could have been differently and it would have enhanced it, but the look of wonder that she gave off as she traveled through this magical land was exactly on key. I loved the "Six Impossible Things" monologue best. It deffinately showed me that Alice and I have more in common than I remembered.

Overall rating? About as many stars as there are in the sky! I loved the new story line, all the actors and actresses, the visuals were incredibly, I coveted the costumes, and most importantly I felt like I was there. I felt like I was Alice battling the Jabberwock (an impressive addition, if I may add). I ducked when tea cups and scones were tossed about. My heart broke for the Mad Hatter. And I wanted to help these desperate characters in any way possible.

Thank You Disney and Mr Tim Burton for bringing Underland to life. There is no doubt that this movie will be in my collection for many, many years as soon as it comes to DVD.

Signed

The Real Alice