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Speaking Tip # 18: Natural Movements

To make any movement natural and fluent it takes “10,000 hours” of practicing the motions correctly. When Dr. K. Anders Ericsson, a psychologist said this, he called it his “ten year rule.”

Think of a musician, an athlete, dancer, artist, or entertainer like Frank Sinatra or Paul Anka and how many times they have to practice a motion to make it fluid, natural, and automatic. This is Muscle Memory.

Coach Vince Lombardi said, "Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."  

Part of practicing is 1) getting feed back, coaching, 2) attending Toastmasters to give your speeches, and 3) taking videos of your self to watch back and see what you are doing!

When I was a student at the Juilliard School in New York City I went to see on Broadway the play “Fiddler On the Roof” with the magnificent actor, Zero Mostel playing “Tevye”. I watched the play standing in the back of the theater in the “Standing Room Only” section.   Zero Mostel showed every expression in the movements of his “expressive eyes”, his gestures, his body and voice inflection bringing the audience into the scene. He was having a conversation with the audience, in a natural way showing the details of the scene, painting a picture with his gestures, eye movements, body, and voice. Zero Mostel paid attention to the details and was a lifelong painter.

On the clip below notice what he does with his eyes and gestures when he sings of building a house with a long staircase going up and one long staircase going down and the sounds he makes for “the farm animals”. Watch what he does when he says “wife with a proper double chin”, putting on airs   He acts and dances the song and his rhythm and timing is impeccable! The audience lives the experience with Zero Mostel.

Watch “If I Were A Rich Man” “Fiddler On the Roof 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbJEpcteKg4

Zero Mostel studied acting with Don Richardson who used a technique called “Muscle Memory”. Robert Brustein said of Zero Mostel, “ A great dancer’s control of movement, a great actor’s control of voice, a great mime’s control of facial expression.”  Fluid motion!

Please share your thoughts and comments about this blog. 

Until next week remember, that when you know your material so well and it’s a part of you, you can practice adding in the movement of your eyes, gestures, and voice inflections into your stories to make them memorable and visual.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., is a 2014 Certified World Class Speaking Coach. She has been coaching and mentoring business professionals to be champion speakers for over 5 years. She is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, speaker, business owner, teacher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Business". Her observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful.  Her latest book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" is available everywhere books are sold.  Contact Madeline Frank for your booking and other inquiries at mfrankviola@gmail.com


http://www.madelinefrank.com 

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