Even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, Allison Messier says a little yoga can transform your voice.

Messier, a conservatory-trained singer, is starting a new class in January called Chi Song, which combines the ancient Chinese practice of qigong with the techniques she learned to become a professional singer.

When she discovered qigong 10 years ago, Messier said, “It was the missing piece in a lot of my singing. It helped me to really connect to my body.”

Messier was often told to sing with her whole body, but she said, “There was nothing to help you understand how to do that.”

Qigong focuses on meditation, breathing, and body awareness. “It’s a lot about standing still and feeling your body and doing gentle movements,” said Messier.

Messier found that qigong uses many of the principals for breathing found in the Italian bel canto or “beautiful singing” model.

“Down to the diagrams from Italian singers and from China, it shows the same thing – the way the energy moves through your body,” she said.

The mezzo soprano, based in Tiverton, R.I., will officially launch a class at Marion’s Adagio Art and Wellness in January 2013.

Messier has already held some preliminary sessions at the studio. Each class begins with stretches and meditation. Messier incorporates sounds into the movements, and ends with vocal exercises.

In helping people connect with their breath and body, Messier says they can develop more confidence in their singing. “Singing is nothing to be afraid of. If you can talk you can sing,” she said.

Eight months pregnant, Macarena Morales tried out the class on Wednesday night and said she’s hoping to be ready to join in January after her baby is born.

“I’m not a singer, but I like it,” she said. “I like yoga and meditation, so it all goes together.”

Although the class will be geared towards adults, Morales brought her daughter Manuela, 5, to the class. “She loves singing and yoga. I think she may give it a try, too.

Messier encourages singers and non-singers to give Chi Song a try. “My idea of the class is not that it would be performance choir. It’s just about exploring your body and your voice. It’s not about having a polished product at the end,” she said.

For more information on the class, contact Adagio Arts and Wellness at 774-553-5032, or email adagioartsandwellness@gmail.com.