Dot Todman
Feb 01, 2020 2022-12-15 1:35Dot Todman
About
Celebrity Vocal Coach, Dot Todman is a Singer/Songwriter, Certified Teacher, Speaker and the original Vocal Empowerment Coach, known for her ability to go beyond helping people to transform their voice.
She began teaching music at the age of 14, earned three degrees in Theatre Arts Education, Psychology and Music, plus a teaching certificate, and has since taught in schools, written and directed for choirs of more than 300 people, and coached celebrity singers, actors and speakers of all ages & style for over 20 years.
After surviving a debilitating medical accident, Dot committed to a path of self healing by applying chakra awareness along with mental discipline, positive thinking and daily breathing exercises. This experience helped her create C.O.R.E Vocal Power®, the revolutionary method that addresses a variety of vocal issues, helping anyone fall in love with their voice and perform far beyond their own expectations.
Some of Dot’s career highlights include sharing the stage with Bobby McFerrin, performing in her own one woman interactive musical, and being featured on NBC, MTV, KTLA5, TV Guide, KPFK, Idol Chat and LA Talk Radio.
Her clients have performed at the Grammy's, and worked with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Ellen Degeneres, Sony, Universal Records, American Idol, the Voice, Jimmy Kimmel Live, House of Blues, Hollywood Bowl and the list goes on.
People often ask me the questions below, so I decided to include them on my “About Dot” page.
How did you start as a teacher?
For whatever reason (maybe because I was very bossy at a young age and somehow possessed leadership skills), I was put in the role of teaching at the tender age of 14. Our 9th Grade Music teacher put me in charge of a class for a week when he left (Under the supervision of a sub). My job was to write a song for a retiring music teacher and teach the parts to the class. My peers actually listened to me and I gained confidence in what I was doing. I went on to direct musical numbers, plays and shows. I was young, unstoppable, and highly motivated. But was I really confident?
Graduating from University left me with three degrees and a Teaching Certificate (mainly because I kept changing my mind about what the perfect major would be). I was singing non-stop and traveled North America with a performance group, bands, sang on TV, radio, commercials, was featured in award-winning musicals, etc.
But it was interesting, people would hear me sing and ask me how I did it. I felt the least I could do was share what I knew. In University, I thought it would be a smart idea to get a teaching certificate for something to fall back on, so I worked another two years to earn that. Truth be told - I have no idea how I really got started. I just did it. One day…back in 2005, I got fed up with my full time job and quit, and decided to teach voice full time. But I had so many hills and valleys before I made that leap.
What is a Vocal Empowerment Coach?
I created this title after I studied with Vocal Coach Arthur Joseph in 2005. He taught me that the mind had to be fully present in order to really master my voice. Because he was so good at holding the present moment with me and helping me become more vocally aware from a calm place, it inspired me to learn more about how I could do this for myself and clients. Over the following years, I birthed CORE Vocal Power® which merged the mind, soul and body to discover one’s own unique, confident and free voice.
Arthur Joseph instructs Dot Todman outside KTLA parking lot before performing on TV singing competition, where she wins first prize.
What were your challenges?
I used to stutter as a kid. I also literally fell flat on my face on stage, but I got back up! I used to hate my voice and could not understand why people said they liked it. I thought they felt sorry for me. Since I was the only Black kid I thought somehow, maybe they figured I had talent because I was different. I didn't really have much of a relationship with my voice or myself yet...but for me, singing was my therapy growing up. It allowed me to express how I felt and feel heard - even when no one was listening.
I used to be horrified to sing in front of people when I was younger – I was very, very shy, but my outgoing brother could sing and play guitar in front of everybody. He even became a star on his own TV show! My mom also encouraged me to sing because she said I had a natural gift, but I didn’t really understand.
Even though I knew how to hit notes, and learned a ton from my mom’s example (a lovely jazz singer herself), at age 13, I knew nothing about vocal anatomy, and the authentic connection. I was a mess.
Fast forward: I gained all that experience, graduated, and came out to Los Angeles with high hopes of pursuing my singing career while teaching. Immediately many singing opportunities fell into my lap and I was in even featured in a show that won “Musical of the Year” in Los Angeles, but whenever I had an audition that was very important to me, I would either flub or my health would fail. I decided to put my singing career on hold and get well. I wanted to learn to be more confident. One day, back in 2005, I quit my corporate teaching job and decided to teach voice full time. I didn’t really know it would blow up as it did, and 15 years would fly by…but that also happened.
How did your training became holistic?
Initially I was very left brained and technical, but my clients taught me that without confidence, it didn’t matter how talented they were, and I realized that was also true for me. Life had me hit rock bottom because of a “hospital accident”, but that horrific experience gave me the clarity to see what was truly important to me.
I learned how to heal myself and integrated that into my vocal training. I learned to pay attention to how people think when they sing - their beliefs, their emotions and energy, and also what they are doing physically. It all works together. In school, we only learned the technique.
Life taught me that often, things happen internally before they show up in your body and voice. So I was able to create a system to help people become more self aware with acceptance, while training their voice. There are so many things that can be easily overlooked when learning how to sing. I learned that mediocre talent with self-awareness great work ethic and attitude will get you further than someone who is talented and hates themselves with a poor work ethic. But people only hate themselves because we live in a world that teaches us to do so.
What are some tips for aspiring vocal teachers?
I certainly don’t want this part to sound preachy. I just get asked this question a lot and I kind of wish someone would have told me this. My advice, is to keep growing and don’t think for a minute you have it all figured out. Keep your mind open and keep learning new things. You will organically include what life teaches you into your craft.
Self awareness and acceptance is the most important step in knowing how to help others be confident. Of course, this is a lifelong process for all of us. We are all works in progress, but as a teacher, as long as you’re a step ahead and living in your own integrity, you can truly help others. And don’t take yourself too seriously! I used to feel so guilty for my imperfections as a teacher. Now I know I just need to be present, willing and accepting. Of course, a little knowledge doesn’t hurt either! All joking aside–know your craft.
How was C.O.R.E Vocal Power created?
It was actually something I developed to heal myself after the doctors nicked my bowel and left me with an 8 inch scar and 36 staples along my CORE. Honestly, I was desperate to get back to work, but I could not use my diaphragm without severe excruciating pain. I also didn’t believe in chakras or any of that stuff, but I figured if it were true and it could help me heal fast, then maybe I should learn it. So I did. And it actually worked.
This was only the beginning. CORE Vocal Power® took me many years to develop, and I see it as an ever-unfolding and expansive method, because every day I learn something new. Back in 2008, after much meditation and trial and error in exploring what really heals your body and makes a voice powerful and confident, I realized that if four Steps – C.O.R.E. could heal me, it could also help my clients of all ages. It did. The rest is history.
My Mission is simple
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to empower voices, one heart at a time.
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