Module Five Lesson Four: Unlocking the Power of Body Language for Singers

Module Five

Mar 10

Written By Valerie Day

Before you begin this lesson, please download and print the discovery sheet below, Body Dynamics in Performance.

Body Dynamics and Performance Discovery Sheet (Printable)

Body Dynamics and Performance Discovery Sheet (Fillable)

Go Deeper/Links:

Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are (Amy Cuddy Ted Talk)

Note: Since this TED Talk was released, there has been some criticism of Amy Cuddy's research, scientific methods, and conclusions. Still, I decided to include her findings in the course because I’ve found expansive postures valuable both in my own life and in the lives of my students.

If you’re interested in Amy’s response to this scientific debate, I encourage you to read this article posted on her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-overview-state-science-postural-feedback-power-posing-amy-cuddy/.

"...Cuddy’s oft-employed phrase “fake it till you become it” may inadvertently reveal why the results have been difficult to reproduce. It’s possible that a scant few minutes of “faking it” will momentarily up your game, change your physiology, and increase your sense of power. Or, as some detractors insist, perhaps not. What is a sure bet is that practicing new moves repeatedly over time wires new patterns into your neuromusculature. This has the potential to build habits of confidence, courage, and composure that are easier to call up when you need them. So I would say it differently. Instead of faking it till you make it, practice it until it’s embodied. There’s nothing fake about it."
(Amanda Blake, Your Body is Your Brain)

Transcription

Introduction to Body Language in Performance

If language was given to men to conceal their thoughts, then gesture's purpose was to disclose them. — John Napier

Think back to the lesson on emotion in music. What are the musical tools you use to create an expressive performance? Tempo, intensity, articulation, staccato or legato, and dynamics are a few you've learned to use.

And guess what? You can apply those same tools to your physical performance.

Understanding the Role of Different Body Parts in Performance

We'll revisit that concept in a moment, but first, let's break down the parts of your body you use to communicate. You use your head, your hands, arms, torso, legs, and feet. As you watch the videos of performers in this lesson, pay attention to these different parts of their bodies.

Notice what role they play in the overall feeling of the performance. Take the head, for example. Is it moving or still? Is the chin lifted or tucked in? What about the hands and arms? Are the hands gesturing wildly, or are they calm and assured? Are the arms close to the body, or do they take up space around the torso or head?

Speaking of the torso, the trunk of the body, is it open or closed? Is the ribcage lifted or collapsed? And lastly, the legs and feet, are they tight together or in a wider stance? Are the feet anchored in one spot, shifting weight, or moving?

Using Musical Terminology
To Describe Body Movement

And, as I mentioned earlier, you can watch these performers through the lens of musical terminology.

Are you seeing legato or staccato motion? What about intensity? Are the muscles loose, tight, or somewhere in between? Overall, is there a dynamic range in the performers’ movements? Does the body become louder or softer? Busier or quieter throughout the song? What you're learning by asking these questions is how to see, so you can become a better performer and communicator.

Let's watch some performers in action, so you can practice seeing through these different lenses.

Analyzing Performances: Sam Cooke

[Sam Cooke Video]

So that was the king of soul, Sam Cooke, a pioneering singer whose music defined the soul sound of the 1950s. During his career, he had 29 singles that charted on the Billboard Top 40. Using your discovery sheet. Take a minute to write down some of the things you observed. If you need to go back and watch the video again, please do.

I'll wait.

Analyzing Performances: Joe Cocker

Okay, here's another body in action.

[Joe Cocker Video]

That was Joe Cocker at Woodstock in 1969. That performance. And his cover of the Beatles song, With a Little Help From My Friends, supercharged his music career, which spanned 43 years. In that time, he released 22 albums and was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Singers list. Wikipedia describes Joe as an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements.

No kidding, right?

Using your discovery sheet, write down some of the things you observed about those expressive body movements. Take your time. I'll wait.

Contrasting Styles of Physical Expression

So obviously, there's a massive contrast between these two performers. Sam's movements are smooth, classic, contained, and minimalist. Joes are extreme in every way. Yet, both singers had highly successful careers using two completely different styles of physical expression. We all have our preferences. You might prefer one style of movement over the other, but there's no right or wrong.

Between these two examples of body language lives a vast continuum of possibility. The important thing here is to watch, learn, and experiment with movement that works for you.

Exploring the Origin of Body Movements

So where do our body's movements come from? What gives rise to this powerful form of expression? It's remarkable how our bodies respond to music.

We hear a rhythm, and we instinctively move. When a singer fuses their movements with a song's emotional content, it's a potent combination. So how do we access that emotional content? Does it come from the inside out? Or the outside in. In other words, does the music create an emotional response that's reflected in your movement?

Or does your movement create the emotion? I think the answer is yes to both of those questions. Yes, we're influenced by music. It opens the floodgates to emotional states of being. And when it's music that we love, our body is healthy. And we're in flow, it's easy to access those emotions.

The Power of Posture
and Movement in Performance

But what if it's not music you love, or you're not feeling well, or in a state of flow?

Maybe you're just not in the mood to perform a particular song. How do you connect with the emotion you need to perform and move your audience when that happens? Can you use your body to access the feelings you want to convey? In other words, fake it till you make it? An intriguing study by social scientist Amy Cuddy speaks to that question.

First, she and her team measured the amount of testosterone and cortisone, the stress hormone, in their test group's saliva. Next, they asked them to assume power poses for two minutes, expansive postures with their arms up in the air or on their hips, their legs in an open stance like Wonder Woman. Then, they measured their testosterone and cortisone levels again.

Astonishingly, after holding these expansive postures for only two minutes, their testosterone levels increased, and their cortisone levels decreased. So how does this apply to performance? Well, I believe this study holds incredible implications for singers. Beyond helping you to feel more confident before you audition or perform, knowing how to use your body to access or heighten feelings is life-changing.

Your posture and movement can help you uncover, develop, and embody a wide range of emotions. As Amy Cuddy says in her TED Talk, it's not fake it till you make it; it's fake it till you become it.

Let's take another look at the power stance that Cuddy used in her experiments as an example of how to create a feeling, this time one of power.

Analyzing Performances:
Billy Idol and Lana Del Rey

Here are two examples of the power pose, or lack of it, in action.

[Bill Idol and Lana Del Rey video examples]

In the first video, Billy Idol totally overdoes it with his power poses. but it works. The wide stance, closed fist, and trademark sneer fit the music and his persona. On the other hand, Lana Del Rey looks like she feels incredibly uncomfortable in her body. She holds her legs together, her arms by her sides, and her hands look like they're leaves blown listlessly by an anemic breeze.

Is she moving that way on purpose, or was she just nervous? This live performance was one of Lana's first, and it was on Saturday Night Live. No pressure! So, we can't know what was going through Lana's mind during this performance. However, looking through the lens of body language, we can see that she's not feeling powerful.

Now, there are millions of Lana Del Rey fans. You might be one of them. Maybe what draws people to her is her vulnerability. If so, the unease her body communicates is one of the ingredients that makes her so successful. The point of this lesson is to give you some new ways of seeing to help you improve your performance.

When you know what to look for, you can figure out how other singers create emotion through posture and movement. And you'll discover what kinds of movement and body postures produce the feelings you want to convey.

So now it's time to experiment with this concept.

Practical Exercise:
Experimenting with Body Postures

Try this right where you are. Notice how you're sitting in your chair.

Are you in an open or closed position? Without moving, notice how you feel. What kind of energy do you have? What kind of mood is present?

Now, change your position. If you're closed, shift to an open stance. If you're open, assume a closed position. What changed?

Next, if you're sitting down, stand. Assume the Wonder Woman stands with your legs wide apart and your hands on your hips.

I know it's kind of goofy at first, but standing this way, even for a few seconds, totally shifts my energy. Standing in this power pose tells my animal body and brain that I'm big enough to fill the room. Prepared and professional. I feel anchored in my body, ready for whatever comes next.

Now to be clear, I'm not advocating that you walk out on stage and assume the Wonder Woman pose, but you might find this helpful before a performance or audition, especially if you're anxious or feeling small.