ERASMUS+ BODY COURSE IN LEIRIA, PORTUGAL 1-7 JULY 2018

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1 ERASMUS+ BODY COURSE IN LEIRIA, PORTUGAL 1-7 JULY 2018

2 THE BODY AND THE VOICE THE VOICE AND ITS PATHOLOGIES THE VOICE AND THE MELODY LAUGH THERAPY

3 THE BODY AND THE VOICE After arriving in Leiria and s e t t l i n g i n, w e w e n t t o Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Correia Mateus, our host for the week. There we were welcomed by the principal that outlined the benefits of European projects and our schedule for the week. Sandra was our wonderful guide in exploring the way that movement affects our voice. În the school s gymnasium we got to know all the participants through some very interesting ice-breaking activities, Afterwards, we wor ked on breathing properly by using our diafragm and the importance of this in maintaining our voice healthy. The exercises that followed a i m e d a t i m p r ov i n g o u r observational skills (reproducing a live statue and noticing three changes about a partner in the group) and the coordination. The next part of the training session was about warming and projecting the voice across the room. The live machine showed us once more how team work can make everything better and how people complete each other to make unusual and great things they couldn t have achieved by themselves. The importance of the sound (the tone of the voice, the rythm, intonation) was obvious through the diction exercises we did next. The session ended with some improvisation that help us develop our focus to more than one person. A very effective game (walking joined at the hips) showed us how difficult team work is and how good communication can improve it. Erasmus+ BODY

4 After discovering how to distinguish healthy vocal folds from diseased ones, we found out about the risk factors and how to avoid them. Our great trainer showed us some techniques of improving our voice and underlined the importance of using it correctly in order not to stress the vocal folds and, so, keeping them healthy. Putarim Erasmus+ mutetur ubi BODY sim. THE VOICE AND ITS PATHOLOGIES Our host for the second day of training was Agrupamento de Escolas Domingos Sequeira. There, the speech therapist from The Polytechnic Institute of Leiria Carolina Branco Alves together with Debora Franco taught us about the pathologies of the voice. We learnt about the respiratory system and its importance to the voice, about the anatomy of the vocal folds and the way they work. We practised some routines that should be done daily in order to maintain our voice healthy and able to help us in our job. First of all, we should prepare our body (posture, neck, shoulders) by doing some warm up exercises. Next, our breathing has to be done properly and consciently. One after that we get to the part were we warm up our voice and prepare it for the day, by using our lips anf tongue to produce sounds. The day ended with a test to check our new knolwedge and to see if we exper ience symptoms that should make us check our vocal folds.

5 7/2/18 Putarim mutetur ubi sim. THE VOICE AND THE MELODY We went back to Agrupamento de Escolas Dr. Correia Mateus to meet Carolina and Alexander, opera singers that shared with us from their experience. They showed us how different sounds are produced and how the length and width of the vocal cords influence the pitch of the voice. We saw how the vocal cords move to produce sound and the differences between the effort that vocal cords make in practicing different activities: singing, reporting sports, talking on the radio and so on. To begin with, we redid some breathing exercises and we watched a short video that illustr ated the breathing factory. The next step was to do some exercises that showed us how the skull works like a resonating box. If we train and are aware of how the vibrations are formed in our skull, we can use our cranial box to amplify sound so we could be heard in large spaces without shouting. Going forward, we watched a few more videos that showed us what practice can do. We saw how, with great concentration and after years of practice, one can even produce two different sounds at the same time. The session ended with some warm up exercises for the voice. Carolina was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, whilst learning very useful things and being amongst friends. Erasmus+ BODY

6 LAUGH THERAPY 7/2/18 We don t laugh because we are happy, we are happy because we laugh This motto illustrates the essence of our last training session in Leiria. We learnt the many advantages of laughter and why it is mandatory to laugh daily, at least 15 minutes, if you want to have a wealthy life. Laughter helps our body to be healthy by: - oxigenating it; - helping it to fight against stress; - boosting the imune system; - helping in the fight against high blood pressure and heart pains; Erasmus+ BODY - improving breathing. Also, laughter helps our mental health by relieving tensions, reducing anxiety, releasing endorfines into our brain, k e e p i n g u s r e l a x e d a n d increasing the self-esteem. It was the perfect ending to a perfect week that deepened the ties already created between the participants. Timeo motus me arcte id.

7 CULTURAL EXCHANGES On Thursday we got to know a little bit more of Por tugal: beautiful landscapes and places filled with history and tradition. It was a meaningful cultural exchange, contributing to the idea that we are European citizens in a world where boundaries dissapear. ALCOBACA The largest monaster y in Portugal, it was the first built entirely in gothic style. NAZARE Maybe the most famous fishing town in Portugal, Nazare is known for keeping traditions, like the seven skirts women still wear and the fishing boats used even today. OBIDOS Erasmus+ BODY Timeo motus me arcte id.

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