Art and Science 2025

Cultivating Voice Proprioception through Embodied Teaching

☀︎ Adléta Hanžlová

Institute of Phonetics, Charles University in Prague

In voice training, attention is often given to developing the use of the voice based on feeling, imagery or auditory percepts. On the other hand, scientific voice research often focuses on acoustic analysis or biomechanics, which are not always adapted and translated into practical voice pedagogy. This presentation will explore a pedagogical approach that seeks to bridge this gap by cultivating voice proprioception through embodied learning and peer feedback.

The talk will outline the main concepts used in a course taught at the Institute of Phonetics, Charles University, which aims to link artistic and scientific approaches to spoken voice training. Students are introduced to the scientific underpinnings of voice skills, including acoustic and physiological foundations, and are encouraged to actively experiment with and feel these concepts in their own voices. The goal of this process is to deepen students’ understanding of the relationships between physical sensation, acoustic output, and communicative intent.

A peer feedback approach is used throughout the course. Students record themselves and each other, observe vocal behaviors, and recommend targeted exercises based on their perceptual analysis. Each week adds a new element – such as posture, breath, phonation, resonance, or melody – gradually building a comprehensive voice profile. This model not only helps students develop more nuanced awareness of their vocal  expression, but also challenges them to integrate subjective sensory exploration with analytical observation.

By weaving together proprioceptive practice and voice science, the course encourages students to cross boundaries between subjective experience of voice production and scientific voice analysis, fostering dialogue between the two disciplines. The presentation will share practical examples and reflections from the course, proposing that such integration can enrich the teaching of voice as well as the cultivation of artistic expression.

Cite the abstract:

APA: Hanžlová, A. (2025). Cultivating Voice Proprioception through Embodied Teaching [Abstract]. Art and Science: Thinking Outside the Box. AMU Prague, 18. 12. 2025

bibtex:
@inproceedings{hanzlova_artsci_2025,
address = {Prague},
title = {Cultivating Voice Proprioception through Embodied Teaching},
booktitle = {Art and Science: Thinking Outside the Box},
author = {Hanžlová, Adléta},
month = dec,
year = {2025},
}