Robert Swedberg

Stage Director, Educator, Yoga Instructor

I became a certified yoga teacher in 2003 so I could include yoga training in my work with singing-actors, and this led to regular for-credit yoga classes at the University of Michigan when I began there in 2008. While the benefits of yoga are becoming generally more well known and accepted, I have found yoga to be a particularly useful tool in the development of musicians, and especially in training the singing-actor.  It is a wonderfully useful way to develop better coordination, balance, and flexibility; with the added benefit of building better awareness in dealing with stress and performance anxiety.  At Michigan I often had as many as 90 participants in up to 6 classes a week for students in all disciplines within the school (singers, instrumentalists, conductors, actors, dancers as well as staff and faculty)!  This led me to develop the Yoga For Performers pedagogy and online text.  Notice the photos on this page, which include yoga at the BIG HOUSE (Michigan Stadium) for close to 500 practitioners, yoga outdoors (a rarity at Michigan), yoga onstage with projections, yoga on the beach in Mexico, and yoga for the incomparable Women's Glee Club at U-M!  In my work as a stage director, I always offer yoga sessions to all involved in production, and include yoga with all workshops as well.  For more detailed information on my yoga instruction, go to www.yogaforperformers.com here                   or visit (and join) the Yoga For Performers Facebook page here: 

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