Canadian Theatre practitioner and educator Diane Roberts is the founder of the Arrivals Personal Legacy Process.

This winter, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) host Breathing New Legacies Forward, a Moving Voice Institute intensive. Led by industry specialists Gayle Murphy, Diane Roberts, Gary Logan and Founder and Artistic Director of Pounds Per Square Inch Performance (lbs/sq”) Gerry Trentham, this four-day workshop explores transformative vocal and physical explorations which extend range and deepen presence.

Breathing New Legacies Forward is a unique workshop which allows participants to develop a deeper understanding and stronger relationship with their voice. “It’s a process that is different for everyone,” says Department of Dramatic Arts Associate Professor Danielle Wilson. “There is a connection between the voice, breath, and body that the Moving Voice Institute researches. We are excited to have them come to the MIWSFPA this winter and lead this exploratory retreat devoted to the voice.”

Through the course of this workshop, participants will examine and experience the connections between voice, text, and breath in the morning sessions. In the afternoon participants will work alongside African-Caribbean Canadian Theatre practitioner and educator Diane Roberts.

Roberts is the founder of the Arrivals Personal Legacy Process, a process that draws on 30 years of experience and 12 years of focused artistic research. This work invites participants to consider ancestry as an essential aspect of evolving authority in their voice and body presence. Wilson expressed a deep interest in this process because of the strong ties to her personal research in voice and performance.

“I wanted to experience the Arrivals Legacy work and participating in the process is essential because voice work is a somatic practice. Experiencing the work is the research”, expressed Wilson. “We all have a relationship with our voice and this intensive gives participants an opportunity to deepen their relationship with their voice and own their unique sound, regardless of what they do professionally.”

Breathing New Legacies Forward will be the first voice workshop to return after the recent pandemic. Wilson explains that being connected and in the same room as those who are exploring, hearing, and finding their voice is truly special. She encourages anyone interested to take this opportunity to discover a deeper connection with their voice.

This workshop is open to all Brock community members and the public. More information can be found on lbs/sq”. Registration is now open and early bird registration closes on Nov. 1, 2022.