Elizabeth Terrel is a favorite guest presenter in the Sangha Yoga Teacher Training programs. Aspiring yoga teachers often have knowledge of yoga but aren't fully comfortable using their voices or physical presence to inspire others. I've seen a huge transformation in my students after working with Elizabeth. Her positive energy, compassion and encouragement make participants feel comfortable immediately. They gain tools to use their voices and bodies in more expressive ways and quickly exhibit more confidence in their teaching. Elizabeth's techniques are well structured, meaningful and fun! Her guidance is invaluable for presenters of any kind.
- Karina Mirsky, Director of Sangha Yoga Institute
Elizabeth's techniques are creative, compelling, and so very useful which is my favorite part. I walk out of Elizabeth's workshops with real tools that change the way I approach my craft. I am telling you, there is a brilliant actor inside all of us and Elizabeth knows just how to coax it out.
-Hannah Elless, NYC, cast of Godspell (Broadway); current case of Bright Star (Broadway)
It is rare to find an instructor who is as personally invested in her students as Elizabeth. She genuinely cares about their well-being, advancement and growth. If only every instructor could be so passionate and involved!
~Deanna Myers, The Actors Gymnasium, Chicago, IL
I've directed and helped produce shows, from the Public Theater to national tours, and NO ONE can unlock an actor and their potential, and help them access their whole self like Elizabeth Terrel. I only wish she could work on every show I do. However, when I think about her work, I most often think of my time as her student. She empowered me with the practical tools to release the tension I was holding in my body and access more of myself, as an artist and person. I didn't realize what she'd done until I tried to speak. As I spoke, having done the work with her, my voice sounded like me---the first time it had ever felt that way. I teared up and am ever grateful. Elizabeth made me more me.
Darren Johnston, The Public Theatre, New York
Elizabeth Terrel is a teacher who is not only extremely talented and knowledgeable at what she teaches, but is also the type of teacher who truly understands the different ways students learn and is able to apply her teaching to fit those needs. Her easy going personality mixed with her high level of maturity in regards to her art makes for a very fun experience in her class yet also very, very productive. She is a joy to know and study under because she takes the time to listen to everyone's needs and honestly cares about what her students have to say. Having studied under her for almost two years, I must say that she has an uncanny ability to truly know students by name and personality, and this is hard to do when she has three to four new classes with new faces every educational semester. She is a true joy not only study with but also to be around!
Madison Comerzan, cofounder of Mastodon Theatre Company NYC
Elizabeth Terrel's way of teaching is so understandable because it is very kinesthetic. I still remember everything she taught us about IPA, and I don't have a good memory.
English is my second language and Elizabeth helped me improve my pronunciation a lot. She encouraged me to tackle dialects when I was extremely afraid of them. As she said she would, she taught me how to fish: now I can grab any dialect I want and work on it. In addition, her energy is contagious and her classes are never boring. She's a lot of fun.
Ilana Faust, Chicago, IL (Goodman, Teatra Vista, Greasy Joan & Co.)
When the rehearsals are turned over to her, I always stay to watch her work, whether she is teaching dialects or working with fans, canes and corsets. The breadth of her knowledge is extraordinary and she generates enthusiasm and passion in the students for the work. Her technical knowledge is superb, but equally impressive is her ability to deal with the psychology of performance, overcoming personal limitations, and achieving ownership of one’s heart, mind and voice. When she is not at rehearsals, the performers continue her exercises conscientiously because of the tangible results they experience from her work with them.
Jim Daniels, University of Texas-Austin
Elizabeth's work with our cast took SAVAGE IN LIMBO to the next level. Her insight into character and physical work was invaluable, and the exercises she led the cast in led to breakthroughs for moments we'd been struggling with for weeks. She has a special gift of creating the circumstances so the actor will make the discovery on his or her own - the cast fell in love with her in only two rehearsals and our production came alive. Elizabeth brings immense expertise to the rehearsal room while constantly working to achieve the director's goals. She is an asset to any production in any company.
Natalie Hurdle, Artistic Director, Strange Bedfellows Theatre
I hired Elizabeth Terrel as my acting coach to prepare me for auditions to a post-graduate acting program. First, she worked closely with me to select monologues that would demonstrate my skills. Then we met regularly to practice those monologues. She is excellent at giving direct but supportive feedback. In a short time, she helped me to increase my awareness and taught me what I needed to analyze the script and modify my voice and movement. She also provided valuable advice on the practical aspects of approaching the auditioning. Due to her excellent coaching, I was accepted into a two year acting conservatory program.
As a college teacher, I have strong opinions of what is needed to teach other adults: Elizabeth has it and I strongly recommend Elizabeth as an acting coach.
Michael Sugarman, Chicago
She worked with the Chorus on staging their odes and extending the physical and vocal range of the actors, who in many cases had little previous performing experience. I told her what I had in mind and she essentially created it for me on the spot. She has a remarkable ability to respond instantly to what she sees, making adjustments and suggesting alternatives with great efficiency and minimal uncertainty.
In her work with the principal characters she concentrated on their ability to make clear a difficult text, and was rigorous in having them work on anything that did not sound natural or organic. She accomplished this in one four-hour session, which turned into one of the best acting classes I have ever witnessed.
Before the end of the first session she is working with them as if she is part of the college's theatre facutly, and relating to them individually as if she has been observing their work for the whole semester.
Michael Page, Director, Professor Emeritus,Calvin College
Image Consulting
When I met Elizabeth I was sporting a ponytail (because my husband, like most men, liked long hair) and my outfit of choice was sweatpants and a white t-shirt.
I mentioned to her that it was hard to pick clothes and when I found clothes that looked good I couldn't quite figure out why.
She introduced me to image consulting and explained that coloring, body shape, and image personality had a lot to do with what looked good and what didn't.
After our consultation, she gave me a color palette with colors that would look
best for my skin type. She taught me the shape of clothes that would best
compliment my build - broad shoulders, no definable waist, and thin legs.
She told me what I knew already - that my face shape and clothing personality
looked better with a short dramatic hairstyle.
She explained via my clothing personality (casual dramatic) why it was so hard for me to dress up and why when I wore traditional dresses I looked matronly - as opposed to chic, which is how I do it now.
This information changed my life. No longer run by the latest trends, I feel confident choosing colors, styles, and accessories that help me look my best with what God gave me. She gave me the power to honor my unique sense of style, tailored to accent my unique physical characteristics. I now feel good in my clothes and I understand WHY.
I have since met other image consultants and have never met anyone with her intuition, insight, and brilliant approach to image work.
Sessions with her is the best gift you can give yourself and this investment will save you lots of money - money you will not waste on the wrong colors and clothes.
Maile Vanderford, Owner - The Centre, Pasadena, CA
Elizabeth,
You have saved me thousands of dollars in wasted time and money not spent on clothing that I will never wear. With your training and the insights into who I am and what I like, I now go to the store and spend thousands of dollars building a wardrobe that I love to wear.
In a world of so many women wandering aimlessly through stores buying clothing that looks good on some model and will look poorly on them, I go to the store with confidence. I buy what will look good on me and that I will love to wear.
Your personal skills at selecting makeup colors is also of great value. As you know, the makeup industry is mostly about hype. The products and marketing campaigns are designed to get you to spend lots of money. Again, like the clothing, I wear makeup that is easy to apply and makes me look good.
Selecting makeup is a task that few women do well. My makeup selection was made by the two of us. The makeup selection was done with the skills of an artist and with great technical understanding of color. I cannot take the credit. It was your skills that did it. I still struggle to maintain a pallet of the right colors as the makeup industry discontinues the products I need to look good.
With the confidence that you have given me I also use clothing and makeup as a tool to get past the discrimination that women face everyday. The men and some women are not even aware of their efforts to put women in their “proper subordinate place”.
With your training I stand taller with more confidence taking my place at the table of the business world.
Joanna Hill, Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer Hella Electronics Corp.