ACCENTS INTENSIVE #5 – South African

A one-day workshop in ‘English’ South African accents,

With kts master teacher Erik Singer

New York City & online, September 18th, 2015

This intensive one-day workshop, for actors, voice and speech teachers, dialect coaches, will apply the innovative techniques of Knight-Thompson Speechwork to the acquisition of   the South African accents spoken by South Africans of European descent. The focus will be on the accents of first-language English-speaking South Africans, though we will include a discussion of Afrikaans-accented English as well. (Examples of the type of accent we’ll be covering here, here, and here.)

The physical focus of Knight-Thompson Speechwork allows actors and other professional voice users to learn accents much faster than with older techniques. Speakers using this approach can speak skillfully in the target accent, without exaggeration or self-consciousness.

This workshop will be focused exclusively on gaining proficiency in the target accent, and will include time for individual instruction. Participants (in-person only) should be prepared with a short monologues or text appropriate for the accent. Extensive resources on English South African accents—encompassing primary source audio files, an interactive breakdown and exercises—will be provided to all participants.

Participants do not need to have taken any prior Knight-Thompson workshops, and no background in phonetics is necessary for participation (though we will be using IPA in our descriptions of characteristic sounds). Individuals who have taken Experiencing Speech and Experiencing Accents, however, and who are considering applying for the Knight-Thompson Speechwork Certification Program, may be particularly interested in the intensive practical application of the work and the focused individual instruction.

The workshop will be held at the National Opera Center in Chelsea, Manhattan. The day will run from 10:00 to 6:00, with an hour break for lunch. The total cost for the workshop is $150. Spots are strictly limited—in-room participants will be capped at 15. Questions to ErikKSinger@gmail.com.

Participants not in New York City may choose to take the workshop as a webinar. Webinar participants may stream the workshop either in real time or after the fact. Webinar participants will not receive individual coaching during the workshop (but may schedule a follow-up Skype coaching with the instructor if they wish). All participants—in-person and distance—will be given access to the video recording of the workshop to review in their own time.

Workshop Costs

$175 in-room

$150 distance course

In order to plan effectively for these workshops, it’s important to have a clear sense of the commitment of potential participants. For that reason we ask for a deposit of $75 to secure your place in the workshop. This is due by August 28th. The full payment is due September 8th. If your plans change, and you are unable to attend, we will refund any payment less $35 if you inform us before September 11th. After that date, however, no refunds are possible. Please plan accordingly.