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Hello, all. I am John Argue, a teacher of movement and voice for people with Parkinson's Disease. I have been doing this work for 11 years now. I work in my home studio in Albany, California, with small classes (no more than eight people at a time) that meet once a week. My background is in theatre, so my exercises are drawn from actor training. I am also a professional actor. I have been reading this list for several months (that's called lurking, I'm afraid) to improve my education re: PD and to keep an eye out for information that might prove useful to my students. Perhaps now I can give back a little from time to time. Re: Swallowing and Speaking difficulties -- Try Yawning. My students have found that (of all things!) YAWNING is very helpful in stretching and opening the throat, promoting full breathing, and preparing the voice for full mobilization. Yawning is the first thing I teach student actors in voice class. You can invite yourself to yawn by breathing a big breath in through your mouth, and just pretending to yawn two or three time. Then, lo and behold, a real yawn happens! Then another and often another, etc. Let yourself have all these yawns, and begin to vocalize while yawning (you will maybe sound like an elephant seal on a sunny beach, but who cares?). Do this several times a day, (its fun to do with friends who are in on the sport; yawns are contagious, remember) and you will find a gradual improvement in swallowing and in speaking. Happy New Year to all. (Yawn) Who can make a smiley that means a big yawn? John Argue - 613 Cornell Ave, Albany, CA 94706 - (510)524-5105 [log in to unmask]