Join Professional Storyteller and Storytelling Coach, Lani Peterson, in this workshop to find, explore and tell meaningful stories from your lived experience. Throughout the workshop we will engage in a series of exercises that will pull out the important moments of your life and the lessons within that you want to share with others. Whether you want to develop your stories to tell your children, your colleagues, or perform on stage, this workshop will help you transform the meaningful experiences of your life into a story worth telling.
During this workshop, we will:
· Look at traditional tales to understand the arc and content of a good story.
· Uncover the meaningful experiences in your lives that lead to a good story.
· Plot the chronological arc, the emotional arc, and the insight arc to build the bones of an impactful story.
· Develop your story with the richness of supporting details and the senses.
· Tailor your story to your audience and intended message.
· Practice delivering your story with ease and impact.
All levels of storytelling expertise are welcome. Working in a safe and supportive environment, each person will leave with a developed personal story that will evolve and deepen throughout the course of the workshop. Come ready to explore, listen, learn, and share!
The Art of Storytelling
Storytelling is an art and science used to create long-lasting and inspiring connections among people. It is a powerful and transformative tool to engage, connect, and communicate our ideas. Stories create bonds among families, communities, and organizations. Storytelling is not just associated with traditional practices and ancient epics but it has a dominant place in today’s era of technology and social media platforms. Stories can be used to influence, lead, heal, and bring about change. The most prominent types of storytelling include Oral storytelling, Visual storytelling, Written storytelling, and Digital/ Virtual storytelling.
Components of Storytelling
Storytelling has some key elements and they form the building blocks of the process. These elements include Plot/Structure, Characters, Setting, Message (Purpose), Conflict, and Craft. The Plot/Structure is the sequence of events designed for the viewer/reader/listener. An engaging plot must include components like exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Characters are the ones involved in the story and to whom the plot happens. It is essential that the characters feel alive so that the target audience can relate to them. The setting is where the story is happening, the world it is in. The setting involves the vivid scenes of various places where the story is taking place and the setting must be described while one sets the tone of the story. The Purpose/Message of the Story and to whom it is conveyed defines how big the story would be. Conflict is another vital element that gets in the way of the main character. It helps add suspense to the storyline grabbing the attention of the audience and making them curious about the next step in the story. The final element is the craft used to hold all the above elements together in bringing out a good story.
Oral Storytelling
Oral traditions or Oral lore are the most ancient form of
storytelling which is in the form of spoken words sometimes accompanied by
actions, music, dance, or other visual elements. Poetry, songs, and chants of
religious texts were used in this form. Oral storytelling was passed on through
generations. Ramayana and Mahabharata the two great Indian epics were also
passed down through generations with oral traditions before they were finally
compiled in a text form. From ancient cave depictions, pyramid wall paintings, frescos,
and tempera paintings to modern-day visual prints, there are various modes used
for visual storytelling. Some traditional practices like Phad Vachno and Kavad
art from Rajasthan, and Pattachitra from Orissa use a graphic handpainted
textile or paper background along with performance and song/poem performance.
Impact and Use of Storytelling
Storytelling is a key medium for making connections, it
aids in building familiarity and trust further allowing the listener to enter
the story and opening possibilities of learning. It has been used as a medium
of passing knowledge and values. It also helps individuals shape their
paradigms and understanding of themselves.
It plays a pivotal role in today's day and age of marketing and identity
as it helps to understand the origin of a brand/person/company by a simplified
representation which helps the audience to emphasize and have their own
perspective.