Nice to hear that 'pulling taffee' has its uses besides the making of sweets. :-)
Since not many of my students have had that experience (making candy that way) I have found some other metaphors and visual images that work to the same effect, which provoke the sustained intense thought, and while singing, the intense breath energy which is needed for legato singing.
In no particular order....
Crying like a very long-winded baby, on pitch. Making a sustained, satisfied sigh Imitating the ringmaster at a circus 'Ladies and Gentlemen' Pulling on both ends of a bungee cord Drawing back a real, or imaginary bow, as if to shoot an arrow Swishing the cupped hand rapidly though a bathtub When swimming, trying to walk rapidly in waist-deep water Squeezing 10 coins together between the fingers, so they do not fall. Holding an imaginary 'bowling ball' at arms length with 1 arm. Gesture like you are a double-bass player, bowing long notes with a _very_ long (like, 6-foot) bow
While I am sure that there must be many more which work equally well, or better, I find that for each of these, a certain mental gesture is required to provide the sustained energy I want from the student. While the physical item (coins, etc) do help if someone has never done that thing, once they HAVE done it, many students are able to intensify their thinking quite well in their imagination.
All the best,
Steven Fraser
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