The audio file below is an excerpt from a much longer (about 30 minutes) piece we created during Session 2 of my year-long improv class using a process Rhiannon calls shape-shifting.

In a shape-shift, the music starts somewhere and is allowed to … yep, you guessed it … shift. Another aspect of the shape-shift format is that often part of the group sings and the other receives the music, usually sitting or lying in the center of the singing circle.

On several occasions during our 10 days at Jardin Mariposa, the owner, Petra, invited friends to meet and sing with us. (That’s how I met Leiko and got to go to the local beach. *smile*) She and 3 or 4 others joined us for this shape-shift, which happened during one of our evening singing sessions. (We typically sang 6 to 8 hours a day. I loved every minute of it. *grin*)

We had been singing for quite some time when I was moved to start speaking. This “story singing” is one of the things I began discovering during my 30-day song-capade and it really solidified during this second session.

http://songtaneous.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tellyou.mp3

“The best things in life are silly.”
– Scott Adams

“Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.”
(I think this is true for music lovers, too. *smile* ~sg)
– Rose Franken

“Silly is you in a natural state, and serious is something you have to do until you can get silly again.”
– Mike Myers

I look at the students with whom I’m working and ask myself one question.

When did singing get so serious?

…

I mean, of course I want my students to take their lessons with me seriously. I appreciate it when they practice and do their homework and come to their lessons, but more than one of my students has commented on how silly they feel doing some of the exercises I assign (which is fair, some of the exercises are silly. *smile*)

It makes me wonder what they were expecting. It makes me ponder (again) the relationships between practice and work and play.

…

(If you hadn’t noticed *smile*) I experience singing as a joyous, spiritual and freeing activity. I’m serious about it, but I don’t think it needs to be serious. Particularly when I see that seriousness turn into worry, anxiety or self-doubt. (Even the students I’m coaching at the middle school are worried about their singing.)

…

Besides, when did silly become bad?

What if being silly really helps? (I think it does)

Because it’s not just silly. It’s being present and open. It’s self expression and vulnerability. Being willing to try something new (and perhaps look foolish).

Singing is about revealing our voices and that can feel extremely vulnerable (particularly if we’ve had any singing trauma in the past) because singing is really about revealing ourselves; our personalities, our perspectives and our spirituality.

(Okay, I can admit that that stuff is all pretty serious. *smile*)