Congratulations to Natural Awakenings advertising partner Jean McClelland on the publication of her exceptional article, The Integration of the Torso as a Prerequisite for Inspired Performance, in the latest edition of the AmSAT Journal, produced by the American Society for the Alexander Technique.

In this insightful paper, McClelland draws from her personal experiences and work with students to illustrate how the Alexander Technique enhances awareness of the internal alignment of posture, movement, and breathing muscles—key elements for both vocal and physical support. She emphasizes how this psychophysical alignment fosters a more creative, focused and improvisational mindset. McClelland also reflects on her voice studies with the late Madame Olga Averino, a legendary soprano and voice teacher, who championed “singing on impulse”—a concept rooted in vital energy that ignites the diaphragm, transforming performances from lifeless to inspired.

With over 45 years of experience in performing and teaching voice, McClelland has dedicated herself to helping students connect with this impulse, believing that a conscious synergy of posture, movement and respiration is essential for achieving a solid vocal technique and a vibrant, inspired performance.

Jean McClelland is a faculty member in the Graduate Program in Acting at Columbia University and a guest lecturer in the music department at William Paterson University. An AmSAT-certified senior teacher of the Alexander Technique, she studied under Carl Stough at his Institute for Breathing Coordination and is one of fewer than a dozen people worldwide personally selected by Stough to teach his work. In addition, she has performed extensively in musical theater and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. She teaches in-person at One Spirit Learning Alliance and offers both private lessons and group classes, in-person and virtually.

For more information, visit JeanMcClellandVoice.com