named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Introducing Body NRGs
90-minute live online workshop exploring the three body NRG states—Potency, Buoyancy, and Radiancy—that support voice and body function through playful somatic exploration.
Introducing Vocal NRGs
3-hour live online deep dive into Consonant, Structural, and Tonal Vocal NRGs, applying them to text, poetry, hip hop, and musicality for richer vocal expression.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Sliding-Scale Tuition Programs 1 activity
- Ensures equitable access to training programsProvides fee flexibility and financial accommodations to ensure participation regardless of socioeconomic status or currency conversion rates, supporting inclusive access to all Institute offerings.
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Uncategorized 6 activities
- Advances research and scholarship in Kinesensic trainingFosters ongoing research into Kinesensic training across cultures and disciplines, publishes scholarly works such as books on embodied acting and Festschrift volumes demonstrating contributions to vocology and performance well-being, and supports academic exploration within contemporary performance theory and voice therapy.
- Delivers professional training in Lessac Kinesensic BodyVoice TrainingProvides voice, speech, and movement training using body and vocal energy states to enhance creativity, awareness, and self-expression for actors, performers, directors, and advanced theater students. Offers live instruction through in-person and online workshops, including introductory 4-day workshops with 18+ hours of training, 90-minute sessions on Body NRGs, and 3-hour deep dives on Vocal NRGs.
- Distributes educational materials and resources in Lessac methodologyProduces and distributes a 29-minute music CD titled "Inner Space" for use in warm-ups and body work practices, and offers subscription-based access to over 10 hours of teaching materials across more than 30 lessons on vocal and body energy, dynamic alignment, and breath through video, audio, and slide presentations, with 12-month access from registration.
- Maintains institutional integrity and pedagogical standards of the Lessac methodPreserves the philosophy and principles of Lessac Kinesensic Training according to Arthur Lessac’s foundational texts, reviews and approves all Institute-generated curricula and workshops, and ensures fidelity to the method through faculty approval, mentorship oversight, and designation of Master Teachers who contribute to its advancement.
- Offers certification programs in Lessac Kinesensic TrainingOperates a structured certification track requiring completion of approved training, mentorship with Master Teachers, and passing a Bodyvoice Assessment. Supports candidates over a suggested 1–5 year timeline (averaging 3 years), assesses teaching proficiency via live or recorded lessons and submissions, and grants formal certification upon successful completion.
- Provides accent acquisition training for TESOL contextsOffers a somatic, feeling-based approach to acquiring General American English accent using Lessac Kinesensics, designed specifically for application within Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) settings.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$35K
Contributions & grants$7K19%
Program service revenue$28K79%
Investment income$5702%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$38K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$130K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$130K
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +41.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- GAVIN MATTHYS — DIRECTOR
- MORNE STEYN — DIRECTOR
- RICHARD MARTINEZ — DIRECTOR
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- Amarillo College Partner — Hosts the introductory workshop in Amarillo, TX
- Amazon Partner — Distributes publications produced by or related to the Lessac Institute.
- Apple Books Partner — Offers digital distribution of the publication "Sensing Speech".
- Association for Theatre in Higher Education Network — Arthur Lessac was an active member and delivered a 6-hour presentation at its 2002 conference.
- Ball State University Partner — Hosted a six-week intensive Lessac workshop led by Arthur Lessac in 1997.
- Barnes & Noble Booksellers Partner — Distributes the publication "Sensing Speech" to the public.
- Baylor University Partner — Hosted guest teaching workshops by Arthur Lessac in 2002.
- Deb Kinghorn Partner — Master Teacher and Director of Certification who oversees Facilitator Training and Mentoring and serves as a point of contact for program inquiries.
- Deb Kinghorn Partner — Master Teacher and workshop facilitator, serves as Director of Education at the institute
- Hal Leonard Books Partner — Distributes the publication "The Vocal Vision: Views on Voice by 24 Leading Teachers, Coaches & Directors".
- ISMETA Network — Member of ISMETA as an approved somatic education training program.
- Jewish Theological Seminary Partner — Arthur Lessac taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary beginning in 1951, maintaining a twenty-year association.
- Lessac Master Teacher Team Partner — Collaborates in the development of the KLC curriculum
- Lessac Master Teacher Team Partner — Reviews final video and written materials submitted by Certified Trainer candidates.
- Lessac Trainers Partner — Contributes to the development and recording of KLC curriculum materials
- Mary Baldwin College Partner — Hosted a five-week intensive Lessac workshop led by Arthur Lessac in 1996.
- Routledge Press Partner — Publishes and distributes the book "Arthur Lessac's Embodied Actor Training".
- Santa Monica College Partner — Institution where multiple award recipients have been recognized for excellence in Lessac training.
- Stella Adler Theater Studio Partner — Arthur Lessac served as voice and speech teacher at the Stella Adler Theater Studio starting in 1951.
- Stephen Crandall Partner — Certified instructor and facilitator of the Amarillo workshop, affiliated with Amarillo College
- Trainer in your area Partner — Network of certified trainers who deliver Lessac training in various locations.
- University of New Hampshire Partner — Institution where award recipients have been recognized for excellence in Lessac training.
- University of Southern Mississippi Partner — Institution where multiple award recipients have been recognized for excellence in Lessac training.
- University of Virginia Partner — Hosted Arthur Lessac as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in 1992 for a semester-long Lessac Master Training program.
- VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association) Network — Facilitators are active members and co-directors of VASTA; institute workshops offer discounts to VASTA members.
- Virginia Commonwealth University Partner — Hosted guest teaching workshops by Arthur Lessac in 2002.
- Voice and Speech Trainers’ Association Network — Arthur Lessac was an active member and delivered the keynote speech at their 2009 conference.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Equity-Integrated Access Modelmethodology: equity_centered_accessBy adjusting financial and structural barriers—including currency conversion, economic circumstances, and decolonial facilitator practices—the Institute increases equitable access to training because inclusion requires active mitigation of systemic and historical inequities in arts education.
- Lessac Kinesensics Methodologymethodology: Lessac_KinesensicsBy using a somatic, feeling-based approach to voice and speech training, the Institute enhances physical and vocal expression, communication, and creativity because bodily awareness and sensory experience are foundational to authentic performance and personal growth.
- Person-Centered Somatic Developmentmethodology: person_centered_somatic_learningBy honoring personal uniqueness, identity, and self-discovery in training, the Institute deepens learning and transformation because embodied practices are most effective when aligned with individual lived experiences and internal awareness.