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The Active Centre: Integrative Training for the Voice and Body - Ultrasound Demonstrations Using Selected Exercises by Robert Lewis, Lecturer in Voice and Theatre, and Theatre Sub-Dean. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), University of Tasmania, Monash University and RMIT. Robert is the director of the Voice Theatre Lab, a performance group focusing on physio-vocal practice and research.

Marie-Louise Bird, PhD, Dip Ed, MAPA is a physiotherapist, University academic and Pilates instructor. She has worked clinically as a physiotherapist in rural and regional settings in Tasmania, Australia. She has been employed at the University of Tasmania for 15 years teaching anatomy, biomechanics, and neuroscience. Over the last 8 years her research interests have included physical activity and exercise interventions for older adults, resulting in several publications on Pilates and balance including international presentations in Japan, Australia and Scotland.

The exercises in The Active Centre encourages the actor to explore their unique response to dramatic contradiction by demonstrating a series of Pilates-based exercises with vocal integration. Lewis’ approach is to integrate voice and body in diverse ways. With contributions made by Joan Melton, PhD, ADVS, pioneer of singing techniques and voice/movement training for the actor, Marie-Louise Bird, PhD, Dip Ed, MAPA, physiotherapist, academic and Pilates instructor, and Sara Redman, mentor, coach, speaker and author, The Active Centre demonstrates the opposite tack to conventional voice practices to strengthen and sharpen the physic-vocal instrument.

The voice, whilst placed under a lot of external stress (performance pressures and of course, physical intensity), needs to sound as free as possible. This in itself is a contradiction. The exercises explore some of these contradictions, particularly the notion that the voice must be clear and expressive even though the body is placed under a certain amount physical intensity. Marie-Louise Bird operates the ultrasound and exercise participant is Chris Jackson.

Voice Theatre Lab is housed at the Academy of the Arts, Launceston. It is a laboratory; it explores and develops rigorous and highly energized physical and vocal training methods, fusing contemporary East and West theatre practices to create a physio-vocal training aesthetic. Voice Theatre Lab are not bound by the semantic meaning of words. The freedom from not having connections to meaning enables performers to explore a range of concrete and abstract elements.