Historical research is no longer relegated to the
archives of ancient buildings and libraries. This workshop invites participants
to connect the stories from their family tree to the historical events of the
time in which their ancestors lived. Tips will be given on Internet sources and
the creative transition of fact into story. You may not know more than a name
and a date, but this workshop will give you the tools to excavate the gems
you'll need to develop an historically accurate and engaging story.
It has been said, “Life is what happens when you make other plans.” Based on their vast combined experiences with chronic illness, at-risk-youth, and organizational change, Teresa and Taralyn Clark will share tips and insights into the use of purposefully chosen story during the crucible of change. This workshop is all about using story to remember, adapt, understand, move forward, and enlighten in the midst of the chaos we call life. These principles can be applied to dealing with chronic illness, the generational seasons of family, evolving organizations, and more. It's content is based on the guidelines found in the book they co-authored, "Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity." Familius Publishing
~ An exercise in rediscovering the personal
archives of memory
I believe many of our youth today are lost because
they have no idea who they are, where they come from, or who they come from.
Society as a whole is not sharing, telling, or honoring our stories, our traditions,
or our cultures. Our history, our culture, our core beliefs as a nation, basic
human decency and much more can be gleaned most effectively through story.
Storytelling can strengthen and open communication within all walks of life.
I’m a witness – I know! This is quite
simply an exercise in sharing personal story.
I believe that storytelling is the most effective
tool for teaching available! This workshop
is dedicated to showing educators how storytelling
can become the core of any curriculum. Whether teaching about reading skills,
other cultures, moments in history,
science facts, or writing skills, storytelling can make the process easier
and more enjoyable. Educators will leave this workshop with many fun
action-packed tips for using this
ancient art form to enliven any class.
Story
Grafting
Master Gardner’s know that grafting new branches at
just the right spot on an existing tree with a strong root system can create a
more vibrant and fruitful tree. Story grafting is the art of implanting
yourself into an already existing traditional tale to create a fruitful and
vibrantly new story. Participants of this hands-on workshop will delve
deeply into a tale of their choice to find the sweet spot for personal story
grafting to begin. Most tellers harbor stories they are drawn to yet don’t feel
comfortable telling. Perhaps the tale is such a classic they fear to
alter the tale, or they may have heard someone else tell the story so they
won’t tell it lest they steal a signature tale, or the story comes from a rich
ethnic background the teller does not share. Frequently it isn’t so much
the tale itself that calls to them, but the message it contains, the thoughts
it inspires, or the way it makes them feel. This workshop is dedicated to
helping storytellers find their own unique voice and vision within familiar
plots and elements. Emphasis will then be placed on the individuals' strengths
and interests as they take the elements of the familiar and graft them into a
"new" story that is unique to them. The story-grafting workshop is
intended to nurture the growth of a new tale.
Story
Weaving
Story Weaving
gives storytellers the opportunity to create performance pieces that blend
their multiple community visions into a single, albeit broad-sweeping,
view. The parallels of life fascinate me - history, folktale, sacred
text, and personal experience all twist and weave around each other to create
the tapestry we call life. Just as no tapestry is woven from a single
thread, no life can be told as a single story. This workshop/intensive is
built upon the format of my 2013 Storytelling World Award winning signature story, "There Was a Time" and my 2003 Storytelling World Award winning
signature story, “Frogs Child Lesson,” and another signature story, “Dawn’s
Early Light,” which received a standing ovation at my Exchange Place performance
at the 2001 National Storytelling Festival. This
workshop/intensive gives participants an opportunity to discover for themselves
the depth and beauties of their own lives and find the voice to share it.
Participants will be introduced to Story Weaving - the process of intertwining personal
experiences, history, and folktale into a richly woven experience. By the
end of this experience participants will have identified and begun work on
pieces of rich and varied story textures that they developed from their
explorations of the parallels of life.
