Rebecca Meitlis

Practice:

I love working with anyone who is interested in learning about themselves and how to enhance their lives whatever their challenges might be. My practice has focused on working with performers. Performance issues that I have found are addressed through the method include:

-Self-confidence and self-image

-Increased capacity for the breath and awareness of the breathing mechanism

-Being grounded and connected

-Appropriate tension

-Poise, flexibility and quality of movement

-Enhanced kinaesthetic memory

-Communicating with the whole self

-Openness to creativity and the imagination

I currently coach at the National Opera Studio, the Opera Academy Warsaw, and Excellenz- Labor Oper in Germany. I have taught Feldenkrais for performers at; The Royal Northern College of Music in the School of Vocal Studies,where I was awarded a Teaching Fellowship; The Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, Royal Opera House London,the Grotowski Institute in Poland; Bordeaux National Opera; the Music Department, Royal Holloway, University of London; Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Westminster Cathedral Choir School; Bedales; ALRA; Guildhall School of Music and Drama,Oxenfoord Summer School and the Plush Music Festival.

An article about my work titled; "Connecting Through the breath towards expressive communication in performance; an enquiry into the training of Opera Singers" has been published in the on-line journal Theatre and Dance Performance Training; http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/nPhI4hSNBBuF7ExHY36z/full

If you would like to see a short film about my work with Sally Burgess at the Guildhall about The Creative Singer please go to;www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmrylSnyUlU

Biography:

I came to Feldenkrais out of curiosity and decided to do the training primarily for my own self exploration and development. My background has been in opera and creative learning. I was a staff director at English National Opera for 12 years, where I also co-founded and directed the Learning and Participation Department of the company. As I was doing the training I kept thinking how valuable this work would be for performers, particularly singers. I also found that the experiential way of learning the Method is an excellent model for creative learning.

I am passionate about gardening, keeping bees & walking the Downs hence my workshops for gardeners and walkers!