Yesterday I went into the studio to record the voice-over for the Hoopdance Evolution, Intermediate 1 DVD. WOW! It is an amazing process. I went into what felt like a closet with large sound absorbing panels on the walls. While listening to the DVD music in headphones and watching a screen showing each chapter, I would speak into a massive gold-plated microphone.
I think the most interesting aspect for me was recording the voice over for the warm up. Since I wasn't hooping, I stood for this portion and moved my hips around as much as possible to simulate the feeling of quickening which happens. But at the same time, it was funny because if I swung around too much, I would knock wires into the table which messed up the recording quality. Meanwhile, I really focused on keeping my body's energy flowing so I would really convey the energetics of "warming up".
It was super-entertaining to be in this tiny room, gyrating (but not too much), speaking into the mic, watching my vocal tones, looking out the corner of my eye to the video on-screen, keeping a meditative center and also telepathically transmitting good feelings through my voice to listeners/watchers.
I felt very, very clear energetically while recording. This is important to me. In all my HoopGirl teacher trainings I emphasize the importance of developing the art of vocal quality to enhance learning. Since all sound is vibration, we can use our voices as teachers to dramatically enhance learning. The frequencies of sound can soothe the nervous system or agitate it. I love exploring how I can modulate inflections, tones, and speed to deliver the information more clearly.
During the entire recording, I constantly flexed my body's energy centers, grounding when I felt my voice move up to my neck. I wanted to speak from my belly in a super solid, but also sensual way which would convey my own "signature style" of dancing, teaching and performing. To me, that style feels deeply sensual, playful, flowing and at the same time, powerful. For me, this feeling transmits my most important offerings: beauty, love and joy.
The level of presence I felt may have also been enhanced because I am on week 2 of my 21 Day Detox. My meals beforehand (for those who keep asking me for a food blog): for breakfast I had fresh made almond-milk from soaked almonds blended with agave nectar and vanilla mixed with Raw Power protein powder. For lunch I had a blended green soup of dandelion greens, spinach, tomato, spouts, 1/2 an apple, 1/2 an avocado, cayenne, a squirt of braggs aminos, and some apple cider vinegar.
I love to do a detox during big creative projects like this, when I am transmitting information to large groups of people. I feel so amazingly present. Lots of people say they are afraid to do a detox because they think they will "get crazy" or "unfocused" or "tired". I always have the opposite experience... I feel completely present, energized and full of creative insights!
The rest of the recording unfurled beautifully. In the sound bay outside my "closet", Kramer and our friend Mikeal listened to my voice at booming volumes along with the music and made instantaneous edits to little errors. Their computer screens were alight with digital file lists from each chapter of the DVD. I am continually amazed by their technological expertise... it is amazing to behold!
I feel so lucky. I am so grateful to be have the opportunity to bring my creative visions into reality. Thank you!