Performing arts training, of necessity, includes methods to develop relaxation, concentration and presence. Years ago, in acting school, I learned to do a voice and body exercise warm-up before auditioning or performing. While it did not completely get rid of my performance anxiety, it did help calm me. When I became a teacher of public speaking,…
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As 2013 and the movie version of Les Miserables open, we can all use a little inspiration to remind us it is possible to fly and to spur us all on to new heights. No one did that better than Susan Boyle at her first audition of Britian’s Got Talent! Her is a video of…
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Thinking on your feet is “streaming speech.” Just like video streams over the internet, streaming speech is flowing your words, thoughts and feelings unimpeded by mind control. People who are in a position to have to think on their feet usually have a deep well of knowledge and experience. Yet they often don’t trust themselves…
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Learning by doing is how we learn! Seems so simple. Yet old fashioned teaching methods have teachers, instructors and professors lecturing on and on and on and students tuning out. The flipped classroom concept allows students to watch short instructional videos outside of the classroom and then to practice skills in class while a teacher…
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On August 29, 2012 The Houston Chronical reprinted a Chicago Tribune article on shyness in people who are single and breaking the bashful barrier. The article states that behind shyness is extreme self-consciousness. Shy people constantly worry that others are judging them, and they blame themselves for negative outcomes, so they choose to not do…
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In an interview with Charlie Rose, Steve Martin shared that his experience doing stand-up comedy at universities in the 1970s gave him a sense of confidence that people could smell. When Steve describes confidence this way, I think he means that he learned to create chemistry with his audiences. He learned to be so good…
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Have you been holding back from making videos due to fear of making a fool of yourself? Maybe not looking good? Or seeming silly? Warren Buffett isn’t! You already know that video can boost your career, your product or service. And it is totally FUN! Take look at Warren Buffett having fun on video and…
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You, as employer, supervisor or coach want your presenters to be open and transparent, because you know that clients respond to authenticity more than to slick and canned presentations. Supporting presenters to be genuine is hard work! You can’t afford the luxury of telling them what is wrong with their performance. Presenters are vulnerable, even…
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Last week I was coaching a new client who is an amazing expert on wireless technology at a Fortune 100 company and I heard myself say, “Maybe it is time to move from being an expert to being a master.” What’s the difference? The difference is in how one asserts their information. It seems to…
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I have been dreaming about teaching acting for some reason. I taught acting for about 30 years and thought I had had my fill of it. But last week, in a dream, I seemed to be auditioning to teach acting. Strange! Some rather arrogant acting teachers were complaining how hard it is to train beginning actors.…
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