Paris: Individual or Group "Voice/Stagecraft for Wellbeing" Classes
- Kayla Collingwood
- Dec 13, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 12
Do you want to feel more grounded in your body, reconnect with your voice as an expression of your whole self, and express yourself with confidence and authenticity while caring for your emotional wellbeing? You're in the right place.
Our voices and bodies are living records of our thoughts, emotions, and experiences. They carry both our stories and the weight of old tension, habits, or unspoken feelings. The work we explore in "Voice/Stagecraft for Wellbeing" sessions offers space to meet them with awareness, compassion, and creative freedom.
This approach weaves together my background as a classical singer, theatre practitioner, and educator. Rather than following a rigid formula, each session blends vocal work, theatre-based movement, somatic bodywork, and music education methods - and adapts to your needs on the day. Three core pillars guide every session: embodied voice and movement (integrating mind, body, and voice as a foundation for authentic expression), creative self-expression (exploring sound, text, character, and movement without judgement), and connection (with yourself, the space around you, and others within it).
Within this approach, I offer two pathways. They share the same foundation, but differ in focus and feel. Read on to find the one that speaks to where you are right now - or get in touch if you're not sure, and we'll figure it out together!
An operatic singer and wellbeing? Tell me more...
Hello! I'm Kayla Collingwood - a classical singer, educator, and creator from New Zealand, now based in Paris.
My journey with this work began with the goal of training as a professional opera singer. As a young performer, I was, to put it bluntly, a mess! I would frequently cry in singing lessons and high-pressure environments, held a lot of tension and fear in my body, and struggled with performance anxiety - all of which I later discovered stemmed from previous experiences in my life. Somewhere along the way, I realised the techniques I was learning (breathing, body awareness, vocal training, theatre practices - and therapy!) weren't just for the stage. They were tools that helped me process my challenges, navigate difficult times, and reconnect with myself.
During my postgraduate studies, I explored devised theatre and somatic body/voice practices. That's when it clicked: this work is fundamentally human work, not just for performers. It offers practical, creative ways to meet stress, grief, anxiety, trauma, creative blocks, or simply the weight of daily life.
Over time, my teaching evolved beyond traditional singing lessons to embrace movement, voicework, trauma-aware practices, and elements of music therapy. Today, I help people reconnect mind, body, and voice - whether to prepare for performance, build confidence in speaking, explore creativity, or feel more at home in themselves.
What Is Voice/Stagecraft for Wellbeing?
This approach weaves together my background as a classical singer, theatre practitioner, and educator - alongside formal training in vocal anatomy, vocal rehabilitation, trauma, and counselling.
Each session blends elements of:
Vocal exploration informed by a classical technical foundation
Theatre-based movement and character work (Laban, Grotowski, Stanislavski, Barba)
Somatic bodywork practices (Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais)
Music education methods (Dalcroze, Kodály, Orff)
Rather than following a rigid formula, I adapt each session to your needs on the day. You might work gently one week, dive into something more dynamic the next.
Three core pillars guide every session:
Embodied voice and movement: Cultivate seamless integration of mind, body, and voice, tuning into their dynamic interplay as a foundation for authentic expression.
Creative self-expression: Explore sound, text, character, and movement without judgement
Connection: With yourself, the space around you, and others within it
The Two Pathways: At a Glance
🌸 Breath & Bloom - Reconnect with your singing voice through breath, body awareness, and gentle exploration. Ideal for those navigating fear, inexperience, trauma, or vocal rehabilitation.
✨ Sound & Spark - Explore the full range of your expressive life through voice, body, and stagecraft. Drawing from the work of theatre practitioners such as Laban and Stanislavski, and somatic practices, this pathway is for anyone who wants to express themselves more fully - not just through singing, but through their whole self in motion, in space, in character, in sound.
🌸 Breath & Bloom
Reconnecting with your singing voice
Your voice is more than an instrument - it is an expression of you. Breath & Bloom is a nurturing, supported space to (re)discover your singing voice at your own pace, whatever your history with it.
This pathway is especially suited to those who:
Feel fearful or self-conscious about singing
Are returning to voice after a long absence
Are recovering from vocal injury or strain
Have had difficult or discouraging experiences in musical education
Are processing experiences that have affected their relationship with self-expression
Simply want to explore singing for the first time, with care and without pressure
Sessions may include:
Breathing techniques to calm the nervous system and prepare the voice
Body awareness and movement to release tension
Guided vocal exploration - humming, toning, gentle vocalisation, harmonic vocal holding, boundaried vocal improvisation, free vocalisation
Vocal technique drawn from classical singing and adapted to your individual genre preference
Working with vocal exercises, set songs, and texts
Quiet integration time
Every session is responsive to your emotional and physical state. There is no performance goal, no audition, no benchmark to meet. The aim is simply to build a relationship of trust - with your voice, your body, and yourself.
✨ Sound & Spark
Holistic expression through voice, body, and stagecraft
Sound & Spark is for anyone who wants to explore the full range of their expressive life. It is as relevant to a curious non-performer as it is to someone preparing for the stage - the common thread is simply a desire to express yourself more fully and authentically.
Rooted in classical vocal and theatre training, this pathway draws on the rich traditions of theatre and movement:
Laban Efforts - exploring how the body holds and communicates through weight, space, time, and flow
Stanislavski - for truthful, internally connected expression and character work
Other theatre practitioners - freeing the body as an expressive instrument in its own right
Somatic practices - cultivating postural awareness and releasing habitual tension
Dalcroze, Kodály, and Orff - for rhythmic embodiment and musical play
Singing is possible in this pathway, but it is not the primary focus. Voice here means something broader: speech, breath, character, intention, presence - and the dynamic relationship between voice and body in space.
Sessions may include:
Integrated voice and movement warm-ups
Physical exploration through Laban principles
Speech work, text, and poetry as expressive material
Character exploration and imaginative role-play
Guided improvisation with sound, movement, and imagery
Presence work - developing awareness of intention, space, and communication
Creative ensemble play (in group sessions)
People who engage with Sound & Spark often find themselves surprised by what emerges - a confidence in taking up space, a new relationship with their speaking voice, a creative aliveness they hadn't expected. The wellbeing benefits are real, but they tend to arrive as a natural by-product of doing expressive work wholeheartedly, rather than as the explicit aim.
No performance experience needed. Just curiosity!
The Evolving Focus: Healing Through Voice
In recent years, my work has expanded beyond traditional performance training into supporting overall wellbeing. As someone originally from New Zealand, the Māori concept of hauora (wellness) deeply informs my approach. This holistic model honours four interconnected dimensions of wellbeing: taha tinana (physical health), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional wellbeing), taha whānau (social wellbeing), and taha wairua (spiritual wellbeing and personal beliefs).
Using the body and voice as living expressions of your inner self, this work acts as both a mirror and a release valve - helping process stored emotions, restore balance, and support personal integration. This is not clinical psychotherapy (I am not a licensed psychotherapist), but it can complement therapeutic journeys beautifully. If I believe you'd benefit from specialised support, I will gladly refer you to an appropriate professional.
I also keep this space free from religious practices to ensure inclusivity and safety, particularly for those who have experienced religious trauma. However, if you'd like to explore religious-based songs or texts, this is always possible - especially where it supports cultural reconnection.
Benefits for Wellbeing
Every person is different and their needs are different.
People who work with me often find they can:
Reconnect with breath, posture, and spatial awareness
Respond to challenges with openness rather than old patterns
Express themselves more clearly and safely
Process emotions that felt inaccessible
Release long-held tensions in the body and voice
Build genuine confidence and presence
Access creative "flow" states
Improve communication skills naturally
Experience joy, connection, and restoration
Develop tools for self-regulation and resilience
Take up space in the world and feel worthy of doing so
Valuable for teenagers
Adolescence can be a time of intense change, yet opportunities for non-judgemental, embodied self-expression are rare.
This work can help teens:
Build authentic confidence by strengthening mind-body-voice connection
Process strong emotions in healthy, creative ways
Develop self-regulation skills and resilience
Strengthen communication and social awareness
Discover their authentic voice and identity in a safe space
For parents: my approach is informed by years as both a nanny and music educator, and is pedagogically grounded. While not a quick fix to the challenges of adolescence, this work provides a safe, supportive environment for growth and the development of a toolkit your child can take through life.
Practical information
📍 Where we can work:
Maisons-Alfort - My home studio (warm, comfortable space - subject to availability) OR external group classes
Paris or Val-de-Marne - At your location (travel fee applies)
Central studio - Professional space (studio hire fee applies)
Online - Anywhere in the world! PLEASE NOTE: This work is best in person, and I accept online students on a case-by-case basis.
Languages: English or French
Ages: 13 and up for this specialised approach (younger students considered on a case-by-case basis)
✨ Ready to Begin?
Visit my Teaching page for all the info, including rates and enquiries!
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