Creative Speech - North America
Association for Anthroposophic Speech Arts in North America
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Association for Anthroposophic Speech Arts in North America
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The power of language goes beyond its ability to convey meaning. In our enjoyment of poetry we can experience that words are sound as well as sense, and in that sound there is color… gesture… movement. The sounding word is not a finished thing, but a dynamic world in the very act of becoming. Each time we speak, we can take part in this “becoming” and in the continuing life of the Logos – the primal, cosmic word that underlies all existence. Creative Speech is a path of schooling devoted to this approach to the spoken word. It allows our speaking to be inspired by the rhythms, images and music inherent in the word. It is a powerful tool for self-transformation and personal growth. Creative Speech (Speech Formation) was first introduced in the early 1900s by Rudolf Steiner – philosopher, artist, scientist and educator – in collaboration with Marie Steiner von-Sivers. Steiner’s research led to a spiritual view of the human being and the world called Anthroposophy. He contributed his insights to many areas of modern life, among them the art of the spoken word. Today, Creative Speech has found its way around the globe and into many disciplines: therapy, theater and education for all ages. It is an inspiration to many who seek personal growth through an artistic approach to the spoken word.
Performance, Self Development — Creative Speech (Speech Formation) raises speech to consciousness. We use our entire being to become more balanced, more whole. Our soul is engaged in a way that affects us and our audience profoundly. We breathe more deeply, more fully, which opens our soul, our relationship to the world around us, our life perspective. Creative Speech uses the forms, movements, colors and beings of the sounds to paint imaginations. We work with the three styles of speech—epic, the speech of stories and epic poetry; lyric, the speech of poetry; and dramatic, the speech of stylized conversation. Rhythm is an integral part of conscious speech. Specific exercises are used to work with breath, articulation, speech gesture and mood. With Creative Speech we find our true voice.
Pedagogic — Little attention is given to speech in the schools, yet it has an essential formative effect on the children. They should develop a love for the miracle of language and learn to create in their speech the pictures which live so vividly in them. They need to learn to breathe fully for their health, to articulate well and to bring presence and color into their speech. What a wealth of culture lies in the stories, poems and dramatic works of humanity! This, too is a part of the education of our children. Equally important is that teachers speak in a healthy and filled way before the children. Speech is the teacher's primary tool, and the speech that the children hear has a profound effect on them. Creative Speech is an integral part of the curriculum of the Waldorf/Steiner schools worldwide. Speech artists can advise teachers on texts which are appropriate for the different ages and how to learn discover how the texts ask to be spoken.
Therapeutic — Anthroposophical Therapeutic Speech is an artistic therapy which works not only in relation to the physiology of the larynx, speech instrument and breathing, but also to the entire human body. In conjunction with a doctor's diagnosis and treatment, it may be helpful for disorders such as bronchial asthma, hyperventilation, heart arrhythmia, chronic fatigue, digestive problems and colitis, migraine, rheumatoid diseases, thyroid disorders, iron deficiency, developmental delays, eating disorders, depression and other psychological conditions, shyness, and as a complementary therapy for cancer and AIDS. It is especially helpful in balancing the upper pole (head, nerve-sense system) and the lower pole (metabolic, limb system). Anthroposophic Therapeutic Speech works with the breath, the sounds, the rhythms and content of language through specific speech exercises and texts.
The Speech School of North America
Founded in 1999, the Speech School of North America offers training possibilities, workshops and ongoing classes in four locations around the country (Harpswell, ME; Spring Valley, NY; Chicago, IL; Sacramento, CA).
The full-time training in Creative Speech spans approximately four years. Successful completion of the training is acknowledged by a diploma, recognized by the Section for the Arts of Eurythmy, Speech and Music of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland.
Creative Speech-North America is supported in part by the Mid-States Shared Gifting Group of the Rudolf Steiner Foundation.
Contact us: creative-speech@earthlink.net
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Copyright © 2004
Creative Speech North America
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