Body Language Analysis Assignment of Tribute Speech - Amy Wagner

Throughout my Tribute Speech, my posture remained very straight, upright, and even. I kept my hands rested on the podium so that they would not tremble, tug at my clothing, or play with my hair. My upright posture and carefully placed hands were successes in body language, as both allowed me to ground myself in the space and remain completely focused on the task at hand. The hand placement also opened my throat and heart chakras, paving the way for more confident vocal expression and body posture. Because my heart chakra remained open and projected throughout the speech, emotional expression was encouraged (especially because the speech concerned my parents' relationship and 25 year marriage) and my chest did not cave in. Additionally, my upper back muscles remained strong. However, my head was tilted slightly downward throughout the speech, which served as a distraction. The reason for this is connected to heavy reliance on my outline/script, which was resting on the podium. One of my goals for improving vocal technique is to speak more extemporaneously with minimal reliance on my outline, and this is directly connected to my posture, as relying significantly less on my outline will result in my head being raised upward rather than slightly downward. It will also result in greater opening of the throat chakra and more even breath, which will allow my sentences to project even more. Overall, reflecting upon the body in speechmaking has made me far more aware of the way my body functions when I speak.