Communicating across boundaries, through research, integrative pedagogies, and practical training
To book courses in the US and abroad, please contact Joan Melton at joan.melton@joanmelton.com.
Founding Directors
Joan Melton, Voice/Movement Research and Training, Director of Programs
Jennie Morton, Anatomy/Physiology, Voice and Dance Technique Integration
Guest Artists
Irene Bartlett, Jazz/Contemporary Pedagogy
Wendy LeBorgne, Professional Voice Care
William Lett, Tap/Voice for Musical Theatre
Marya Lowry, Roy Hart/Ecstatic Voice/Lamentation
Michael Lugering, Expressive Actor Training
Mary Saunders-Barton, Singing in Musical Theatre
Neil Semer, Vocal Technique and Performance Practice
Kenneth Tom, Vocal Anatomy/Physiology
Pat Wilson, Studio Work/Mic Technique
Practitioners
Zac Bradford (Hons), Australia/US
I Putu Budiawan (Hons), Australia
Sammi Grant, (Hons), US
James Harrison (Hons), Australia
Maggie Marino-Pitts (Hons), US
Erica Northcott, Canada
Sara Paar, US
Jennifer Spencer (Hons), Canada
Jack Wallace (Hons), England/US
FEATURED PRACTITIONER
SAMMI GRANT, Dialect/Vocal Coach
Sammi Grant is a dialect/vocal coach based in Chicago. She is currently coaching three different productions and is providing private coaching to numerous actors. One of her current shows is Chicago at Drury Lane, directed by Artistic Director, Bill Osetek. She recently coached Drury's acclaimed production of Saturday Night Fever, directed by Tony nominee Dan Knechtges. This past year, she coached on select episodes of the first seasons of Patriot, now available on Amazon Prime, and The Exorcist, on Fox.
Sammi recently made a video with BuzzFeed giving a few quick tips on twelve different accents. The video went viral in less than twenty-four hours and can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ouDcXRU-rs&t=5s
Sammi is in the very early stages of becoming a Linklater Designated Teacher and is planning to go for her Masters degree in the next year.
Perspective – excerpts from “Integrative Links,” by Joan Melton
Voice & Speech Review 2013
Even in integrated programs, there is seldom the opportunity or incentive to really listen to experts outside our own respective field(s). The only people who must listen across disciplines are our students, who regularly take classes in dance (e.g., ballet, tap, modern, jazz), voice/movement for the actor, singing (e.g., classical, musical theatre, jazz, pop, rock) and acting. And the potential for conflict in all of that is enormous!
At the most basic level, what seems to separate us clearly in the training process is our concept of anatomy and physiology…Acting curricula probably come nearer to putting it all together than either singing or dance. Yet, even from actor training, students more often than not emerge thinking the diaphragm is something in their belly that they’re supposed to use—consciously—somehow.
Jennie Morton said, “A better anatomical understanding amongst both performers and teachers can ultimately give them better tools to work with…”
In addition, it takes getting out of our own little corner to see the links from one discipline to another. Long-held views can change—and that’s scary—and what is “true” today may be only partly true or transformed tomorrow. So we must be daring. We must actually listen to colleagues, address the information gaps, and follow threads we never before considered—because staying put is simply not an option.
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