Biography:
Laura Facciponti is an Associate Professor of Drama and the Director of the Arts & Ideas Program at UNCA-Asheville where she heads the acting/directing program. She is an Equity actress, director, storyteller, singer, and specializes in the instruction of the Alba Emoting Method and Conscious Breathing techniques.

Laura has taught breathing work related to acting, personal expression, and voice and diction for ten years through UNCA classes, as well as regional, national, and international workshops.

Her next workshop is in Montreal, Canada - June 9-14 and June 25-30 2009. For more information contact Laura - or go to: http://facstaff.unca.edu/lfaccipo/

She is one of only seven certified Alba Emoting Instructors in the USA. She studied and co-taught with Dr. Susana Bloch, the neuroscientist who created the Alba Emoting technique, in the USA and in Chile where Dr. Bloch resides.

What is Alba Emoting? It is a scientifically based groundbreaking method for emotional awareness obtained through breathing patterns and specifici muscle control and postural attitudes. The Alba Emoting method allows anyone to learn to consciously induce, express, and modulate basic emotions using the body and breath. By learning these patterns, you will not only gain a better sense of how you express emotion in your body, but you will also learn how to express emotions more clearly and consciously.

http://www.albaemoting.cl/ Dr. Susana Bloch's personal web site (primarily in Spanish)
http://www.albaemotingna.org Alba Emoting North America web site

Laura, and colleagues in the UNCA Psychology and the Health and Wellness Department, were recently awarded a Wellness Initiative Grant to further research the benefits of conscious breathing techniques for improving health and wellness in the workplace.

Laura is also in the process of writing an acting text titled: The TEAM Approach: A Holistic Approach to Acting, which should be in the publication process within the next year.

In addition to the teaching mentioned above she also teaches all levels of acting and directing, storytelling and public speaking, including public speaking classes for the Asheville City Hall staff.

If you are interested in learning more about Alba Emoting or her new book The TEAM Approach - please do not hesitate to contact her at lfaccipo@unca.edu or through this web site.