About Session
“Teaching Singers with Dynamic Conditions: Hypermobile Spectrum Disorder, Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome”
In recent years, awareness has increased in the singing community about invisible conditions such as Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). These chronic diagnoses present with a number of symptoms that can affect vocal health and singing ability, and present challenges in voice study, rehearsal and performance. Teachers may encounter students diagnosed with one or more of these oftentimes overlapping syndromes, and will need supportive and appropriate measures in their teaching.
This session includes basic overviews of hEDS, HSD, and POTS, discusses current research and related voice health concerns. It includes the results of ongoing surveys and case studies of affected singers. Strategies will be presented that can help students to sing healthily, and advocate for appropriate accommodations. Participants of this session will gain understanding of the special challenges of living and singing with these conditions, giving teachers tools to compassionately and knowledgeably support their students.
Pedagogic approaches for singers with hEDS, HSD, and POTS must be adaptable and creative, tailored to individual goals while achievable under the circumstances of each day. Singing teachers have the great privilege of encouraging their students to advocate for themselves, and most importantly, to keep singing!
