Workshops

Nancy Houfek

Saturday, April 14; 1:30 PM-3:30 PM

Whether speaking in public, leading a group, or managing a negotiation, we often focus on the content of our subject matter and leave the quality of our communication to chance.  We might often wonder, "Why didn't they get it? Why am I not being seen or heard?  Am I doing everything I can to get this across?" This workshop will give you some specific physical and vocal skills that actors practice to help you be more effective as a presenter, leader or negotiator. Our listeners will receive us better if we consider body language and gesture as important and often neglected aspects of communication. And just as actors develop their voices to be heard and understood on the stage, so can we in order to improve our ability to convey complex and important concepts to our listeners in both our professional and our daily lives.

Nancy Houfek is Head of Voice & Speech for the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University, where she teaches vocal production, coaches the professional acting company, and administers the M.F.A. in voice training pedagogy. A stage director, award-winning actor, and nationally recognized theatre educator, she brings over 30 years of working with performers, leaders and public speakers to her teaching. At Harvard, Nancy has presented workshops using theater and leadership techniques for the Derek Bok Center for Teaching & Learning, the Harvard Medical School, the Kennedy School of Government, the Radcliffe Fellows program, and the Harvard School of Public Health, as well as for universities, academic organizations and private sector clients throughout the country. The Derek Bok Center has filmed her work with Harvard faculty; The Act of Teaching has been distributed to faculty development centers nationwide. Nancy holds a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.F.A. from the American Conservatory Theatre. She has directed or performed over 100 plays or musicals off-Broadway and at regional theatres throughout the country. Faculty or guest positions include the University of Washington, the Drama Studio of London, A.C.T., Southern Methodist University, and the University of Minnesota where she headed the actor-training program. She is published in Voice & Speech Training in the New Millennium: Conversations with Master Teachers by Nancy Saklad, the New England Theater Journal, The Voice & Speech Review, The Complete Voice and Speech Workout and the VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainer's Association) News. Nancy is a Master Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework.

Janet Kayfetz

ACADEMIC WRITING

Sunday, April 15; 8:30 AM-9:30 AM and 9:30 AM-10:30 AM

The "Academic Writing Workshop" is an opportunity for you to learn about the important elements of excellent academic writing. We will consider the role of rhetorical positioning in the development of a clear, interesting, and rigorous science research paper, the significance of narrowing the problem space, and the reporting of data, as well as other important concepts including reader-oriented writing, genre, tone, and strategies useful for redrafting and editing. We will also look at how writers can develop content and fluency through practice with timed, unedited journal-type writing.

Please contact Janet (kayfetz@cs.ucsb.edu) if you have any questions about the workshop.