About the Workshop
The voice reflects our inner life. When we are vibrant and alive, it can be heard; when we are tense or disconnected, that too is revealed. By working with the voice, we can also influence how we feel, cultivating greater well-being, presence, and ease.In this three-hour workshop, we will explore the relationship between body, breath, and vibration through a series of practical exercises. By releasing and developing the voice, participants will strengthen their sense of presence and deepen their ability to connect authentically with others.In the final section, we will work with an exercise developed during the creative process of What Is HOME? As body, voice, and imagination come together, you may discover creative possibilities and aspects of yourself that have yet to be fully expressed.
MINAKO IKEUCHI spent four years of her childhood in Los Angeles before returning to Japan. She studied English and American Literature at Aoyama Gakuin University and later trained in theatre and television directing at ARTTS International in Yorkshire, U.K.After working as a translator, assistant director, and production assistant in Japanese theatre, she recognised the need for more specialised actor training in Japan. Supported by a Japanese Government Grant, she completed an MA in Voice Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, becoming one of Japan’s leading voice and speech coaches.From 2005 to 2020, she served as Head Coach at the New National Theatre Drama Studio and has also taught internationally, including at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, as well as institutions in Hong Kong and Korea.Her specialty is helping film actors prepare for the stage and stage actors adapt to film work. Her credits include the Japanese productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Matilda the Musical, and Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt. She also coaches business leaders in public speaking, notably preparing Panasonic president Kazuhiro Tsuga for his English keynote at the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas.More recently, she has been developing an Oral History theatre project, What is HOME to You?, exploring personal stories of home in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic.