So You Want To Work on Your Body Alignment…

The way your body feels while preparing to sing is indicative of the outcome.  We want to find the most comfortable yet functional alignment for your body that will result in ease of production while vocalizing.

Photo used with permission from pexels.com, photographer Dazzle Jam
Let's start with a common misconception about "posture" or alignment. When we think about our bodies position when we are standing, some will say "stand up straight" or "you have good posture", but as musicians those ideas can get us stuck in our heads and bodies. The idea of standing up straight is impossible, our spines are curved with the shape of our bodies. We need to allow movement and spatial awareness to feel how are bodies can be properly aligned. This awareness of your body is called body mapping.

 Body mapping is your mental picture of the body and as we gain knowledge our body map changes. We are able to refine, correct and embody different body maps. 

To learn more about alignment we need to evaluate the six points of balance in the body, starting from top to bottom. 
1. We begin with the Altanto-Occiputal (AO) joint which is where the top of the spine and the middle base of the skull join, similar to how a bobblehead works. This joint controls the angle at which your head is able to nod up and down. 
2. Next is the Sternal Clavicular joint, the point at which the arm structure connects to the sternum. This joint controls arm movement and can be a cause of a collapsed alignment. 
3. We then move down to the Thorasic Lumbar joint, the point at which the bottom of the rib cage meets the spine. 
4. Our next point of balance is the hips. These important sockets are located at the top of the leg, in the front and provide balance from the pelvis to the legs. 
5. Moving down the leg to our next point of balance, the knees. This point of balance is a major player in how our bodies feel balanced in relation to the ground. Those who tend to have locked knees when they stand, need to give more attention to this point of balance as locked knees with cause misalignment in the whole body. 
6. Finally we move down to the ankles. The ankles and feet provide a triangle of balance to the rest of our points that are stacked on top of them. 

Being more aware of these points of balance will allow us to have more knowledge of what comfortable alignment is for each individual person. 






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