Collective Spotlight: Kelly Vogel
Meet Kelly Vogel, Sound Passage Founder and Instructor
Why did you want to become a embodied vocal coach?
I love sharing this work; the practice has been such a rich experience that I couldn’t help but teach it. When I began to access my own voice freely it was so surprising and cathartic as I began to peel back layers of vocal restrictions. All the ways I’d been taught to speak “appropriately”, “eloquently”, “articulately” came tumbling down as I allowed myself to get loud – and soft, and everything in between – and explore outside what had been expected of me. I didn’t know how much I had been holding back until I gave myself permission to explore what was outside of those parameters. We hold so much tension in our voice and face without even realizing it, and it was exciting to discover what else was possible.
The positive effects have echoed (so to speak) into my talking voice, my teaching, my singing, and my relationships. I feel more expressive, which feels wonderful.
Helping others access their voice in new and exciting ways is an incredible opportunity. Some people come and barely speak above a whisper, and others are ready to belt out for an audience. The beauty is that it doesn’t matter what level of comfort you have with your voice – each person determines their own limits. I love supporting each person through that process.
What have you gained from this work?
My personal vocal practice has brought me confidence in so many ways I didn’t expect. I bring more of myself to my voice and feel bolder and more expressive in everyday communication. I used to think being professional or academic looked and felt a certain way. But by accessing more of my voice, I now access more of me. I feel more relaxed in conversation, my smile is bigger, and I feel more embodied. I feel more connected to myself and more connected to others.
What do you hope your students feel after working with you?
It’s very important to me that my students feel supported and that they can trust their voice and their body. There seems to be a universal joy that emerges when we get permission to use our voice in ways that we have been limited or told we couldn't. I try to create a space where that is possible – where something new can emerge.
As a certified trauma-informed teacher, I also want my students to feel that they are in a safe and supportive space where they can explore at the level they feel comfortable. There is no expectation of what anyone should sound like - that’s the beauty of it. Each person gets to explore and decide that for themselves.
How does your work inform your activism or understanding of the world?
This embodied vocal practice informs my activism in very significant ways. Embodiment is a form of activism. The mind-body duality that is deeply woven into our culture has too often taught us that our bodies are irrelevant, unruly, distracting, and/or problematic. In that worldview, it is only our thinking mind that matters. So for us to become embodied through the use of the voice, we take a stand (pun intended!) for who we are in the world. In a Sound Passage workshop we move and make sounds in whatever ways that feel comfortable, and we take up the space that we desire. We get to “talk back” to the world in a way that feels important. In our increasingly tech-and-AI-driven society, to be embodied is wildly important – it is a necessary part of our democracy. And I love that it can be a joyful, celebratory experience.
What’s your favorite season of the year and why?
Fall has always been my favorite season. I’m originally from San Francisco, where the fall is warm, sunny, and provides a very needed break from the fog! Here in Western Massachusetts it is such a lush and gorgeous time of year. But also, the New England fall is also a beautiful transition as we move toward the deep chill of winter. It requires a particular kind of attention and presence because it is so fleeting. I appreciate that duality.
What has made you smile recently that you feel the need to share?
There was a gathering at the tail end of summer with many of the Sanctuary practitioners, and it was so lovely! This is my first year with Sanctuary, and to be at a gathering with so many amazing humans was wonderful! Not only was the food divine, but I got to witness some pretty sweet slacklining.
