These aren’t your mama’s voice lessons
I teach Fitzmaurice Voicework® in conjuction with a blend of hatha yoga. The work is a holistic approach to the voice, the breath and the body.
Traditional voice lessons focus on techniques and exercises. Techniques aren’t bad, but I believe they are helpful only when you’re employing them as YOU, rather than using them to try to be someone or something else.
This work will help you connect more deeply to your unique physical and vocal presence so that you can communicate with confidence while letting go of unhelpful habits. The goal is to realize more fully the free, open voice that you’ve got inside.
Who is this work for?
Catherine Fitzmaurice, my mentor and the founder of Fitzmaurice Voicework®, developed her technique specifically for actors and performers. However, the work is immensely beneficial for any professional communicator (i.e. anyone who uses their voice in a professional capacity). I work with a variety of clients including actors, singers, teachers, students, lawyers and corporate professionals.
About Me-
aka The story of why I value my voice
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area acting, singing and dancing. Until I was old enough to start summer theatre camp, I filled my time staging mini musicals in my living room. In the eighth grade, I appeared in my first professional play. That same year I also took my first yoga class at the local community center.
I came to Los Angeles to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California, where I earned a B.A. in Theatre and English. At USC, I became interested in directing for the theatre. I also took my first class in Fitzmaurice Voicework® with professor and Fitzmaurice Master Teacher Paul Backer. Though I had taken voice lessons most of my life, the Fitzmaurice class was very different than any traditional singing lesson I’d taken. I liked the physicality of the work- it reminded me a lot of yoga. But it wasn’t yet a central part of my life.
Things changed during my last semester in college. One morning, I woke up and I couldn’t swallow or talk. I’d lost my voice. The circumstances around what happened are still mysterious. The doctors told me it was a combination of incredible tension and a severe onset of acid reflux. Before that day, I had taken my voice for granted. But suddenly it wasn’t there. After a stroboscopy and a summer of speech therapy, my voice still wasn’t the same as it had been pre-trauma. I knew I needed continuing support, so my speech therapist Joanna Cazden recommended that I enroll in a Fitzmaurice class with Saul Kotzubei. I knew within my first few months of classes that I wanted to share what I was learning by teaching the work. I’ve been studying Fitzmaurice continuously since then, and every year I reach deeper levels of understanding and appreciation of my voice. Over the years, my yoga practice has grown to augment my voicework. The knowledge I’ve gained and the self-study I’ve done in voice and yoga classes have transformed my life. I’ve made it my mission to share the wonders of these two practices with others.
I currently live in Los Angeles and split my time between my Holistic Voice and Yoga Coaching practice, teaching at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, and freelance directing. For more information about my creative pursuits, please visit the Creative Corner.
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Elissa is an Assistant Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified instructor. She is a proud member of VASTA, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
Resources
Voice links:
Fitzmaurice Voicework®: www.fitzmauricevoice.com
Saul Kotzubei, Fitzmaurice master teacher in Los Angeles: www.voichcoachla.com
Erika Ackerman, Fitzmaurice teacher and movement specialist in Los Angeles: 323-848-4219
Joanna Cazden, Speech-Language Pathologist and Fitzmaurice Associate Teacher: www.voiceofyourlife.com
VASTA, the Voice and Speech Trainer’s Association: www.vasta.org
Yoga links:
Black Dog Yoga, Sherman Oaks: www.blackdogyoga.com
Yoga Journal: www.yogajournal.com
Ziva Meditation with the amazing Emily Fletcher: www.zivameditation.com
Health links:
Dr. Molly Casey, Doctor of Chiropractic, West Hollywood, CA: www.drmollydc.com
Dr. Holly Lucille, Naturopath, West Hollywood, CA: www.drhollylucille.com
Website Design by:
Ben Giroux Design: www.bengirouxdesign.com
Photography by:
Ehrin Marlow Photography: www.ehrinmarlow.com
