World Storytelling Institute

presents

 

Storytelling Workshop for Adults

 

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Would you like to improve your abilities --

 

To captivate your audience,

both emotionally and intellectually?

 

To arrest and hold your listeners' attentions

as you paint pictures with words and gestures,

and weave unforgettable tales

about thrilling adventures?

 

If yes, this Workshop is for you!

 

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For Additional Info and to Register:

98403 94282

info@storytellinginstitute.org

 

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The Workshop would meet on 8 weekly sessions,

on Sundays, 22nd Sept to 17th Nov --

 

1)  Introduction (22nd Sept).

2)  Animal Fables (29th Sept).

3)  Personal-experience Stories, and Dreams (6th Oct).

4)  Fairytales (13th Oct).

5)  Epics, Myths, and Historical Stories (20th Oct).

6)  Rhythm, Melody, and Rhyme in Speech; and Rhythm in Movement (3rd Nov).

7)  Performances by Participants (10th Nov).

8)  Performances by Participants (17th Nov).

 

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There would be two separate Batches:

 

In-person Batch.

Timing:  11am-1pm.

 

Location:

World Storytelling Institute,

No.7, Kasturi Estate 3rd Street,

"Muchachi Mansion" (3rd Floor).

(2 streets sea-ward from Stella Maris College.)

Cathedral Road, Alwarpet, Chennai.

 

Videoconference Batch.

Timing:  5pm-7pm.

 

For info regarding Dr Eric's experience with using Videoconferencing to give training in Storytelling, please click here.

 

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The Workshop fee (for the 8 two-hour sessions) is Rs 8,000.

 

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This Workshop is designed especially for Parents, Educators,

Human Resource Trainers, Therapists, Social Workers,

Performers, Creative Writers, Tour Guides,

Home-Schooling Parents, Professional Storytellers --

and People interested in becoming any of the above.

 

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The Workshop would be led by

Dr Eric Miller (PhD in Folklore),

Director, World Storytelling Institute,

 

Dr Eric's webpage,

containing links to 65 of his writings, is

www.storytellingandvideoconferencing.com .

 

The World Storytelling Institute's webpage is

www.storytellinginstitute.org .

 

Dr Eric's CV is at
www.storytellingandvideoconferencing.com/02.pdf

His Life Narrative is at
www.storytellingandvideoconferencing.com/01.html

 

Links to specific writings by Dr Eric are far below.

 

Links to 76 newspaper and magazine articles

relating to Dr Eric's work are here --

including two articles about this Workshop

(here and here),

 

To discuss the Workshop, and to register:

98403 94282
info@storytellinginstitute.org

 

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Two aspects of Storytelling are: the stories themselves; and ways of telling the stories.  Workshop topics include:



 

Story Content 

Types of Stories. 

Finding and Creating Stories. 

Elements of Stories. 

Symbols and Metaphors in Stories. 

Story Structure. 

Dramatic Tension. 

Story and Place. 

Story and Community. 

Story and the Past. 

Story and the Future. 

Storytelling and Personality Development.   

Freudian and Jungian analysis of Fairytales. 

Therapeutic Uses of Storytelling.

Using Storytelling to Teach Academic Subjects.                              

 

Story Performance

Vocal and physical warm-ups.

Breathing/Singing/Moving and Storytelling. 

Eye contact.

Role-playing by tellers and listeners. 

Psychological, verbal, and physical audience-participation. 

Stylized speech and movement -- by the narrator, and by story characters. 

Timing, pacing, and rhythm; striking a pose; pauses. 

Story Mapping / Painting / Drawing. 

Storytelling accompanied by Illustrations, Puppets, and Props.  


Ways of Coaching Storytelling. 

Using stories in inspirational speeches. 

Using stories in sales pitches.

Facilitating Story Contests, and Storytelling Festivals.

 

Storytelling is a form of Public Speaking that may also feature some Acting (when one role-plays and speaks as charatcters).  Thus, this is a Workshop in Public Speaking and Acting.





 

Stories we would be working with include: 


1) Folktales (Animal Fables, Fairytales, etc).

2) Episodes of Epics.


3) Personal-Experence Stories, and other Documentary Stories.


4) Stories made-up by individuals.

 

Regardless of whether a story's characters might be humans, animals, divinities, aliens, etc -- all stories are about situations.  Story characters are in these situations, and story listeners may identify with the characters, and project themselves into the characters and the situations.  Listeners can think about, and imagine, if they might do things similarly to or differently from ways the characters are doing things.  This gives the listeners practice for living.

 

 

Storytelling for Discovery, Inspiration, Development, and Transformation
 of one's self is one of the Workshop topics.  There would be also an introduction to the field of "Storytelling Therapy" / "Therapeutic Uses of Storytelling" / "Storytelling for Healing."


Telling a story can be the first step in an interactive process. 

After each story is told,
1) The storyteller can lead a discussion about the story,
2) The listeners can draw/paint the story,
3) The listeners can make puppets and masks relating to the story,
4) The listeners can act-out the story as a skit.
5) The listeners can be invited to add to, and in any other way, change the story.
6) The listeners can be invited to tell additional stories that might come to mind -- real-life experiences, as well as traditional stories, etc.


Some Guidelines for Storytelling:

1) Before Telling a Story
One you have selected a story to tell:
a) Identify one or more turning points / key scenes / dramatic moments, of a story.  These are scenes in which important things happen, important decisions are made, and/or important actions are taken. 
b) Visualise each episode of the story, and practice describing what you see.  One way to practice is alone, silently, with one's eyes closed.  Also:  You might write the story.  You might represent the story visually, as a series of images.

2) While Telling a Story
Get to the key scenes in a timely manner.  "Step into" characters (role-play), especially during the key scenes.  When speaking as a character, at times look into the eyes of a listener and address her as if she were another character in the story.  Doing this invites the listener to join the play, to pretend that she is also a character in the story.  One at a time, you can do this with other listeners present.

3) After Telling a Story
Lead a conversation about the story with the listeners.  Ask "open questions", such as,
A) "What is one thing you liked about the story or the way it was told?  How did you feel about the story?  What do you remember about the story?  How do you feel about the ways the characters behaved?"
B) "Might there be something about the story that you might like to change?  Might you like to add a chapter?”

C) "Does the story remind you of any of your own experiences, or of any other story?"
4) "What messages, morals, meanings, and take-aways do you get from the story?"

In addition to Basic Storytelling, there would also be some consideration of

1) Storytelling for Teaching and Learning.

2) Storytelling for Therapy, Healing, Personality Development, and Soft / Life / Communication Skills Training.
3) Collecting family stories, and other oral histories from various individuals and groups.
4) Story and storytelling tourism (visiting the countryside to visit the places of a story, and to hear and tell stories there).
5) Uses of storytelling in the Business World.
6) Methods of (spoken and visual) translation during performance.
7) Using storytelling to teach a language.
8) The history of the modern Storytelling Revival Movement around the world.

9) Facilitating storytelling festivals.

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Writings by Dr Eric relating to Storytelling 
for Teaching and Learning --

"Storytelling and Interactive Education"

"Notes: Storytelling Workshop for Teachers"

"Ways Storytelling can be used for Teaching-
and-learning"

"Ways Verbal Play such as Storytelling and
Word-games can be Used for Teaching-and-
learning Languages"

***

Writings by Dr Eric relating to using Storytelling for Therapy, Healing, Personality Development, and Soft / Life / Communication Skills Training --

"Story and Storytelling in Storytelling Therapy 
and Expressive Arts Therapy"

"Fairytale Therapy: A Type of Storytelling Therapy"

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Workshop participants would receive Certificates of Participation in the Workshop.

 

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Graduates of the 8-session Workshop could also earn Certification as a Professional Storyteller.

 

This process consists of,

 

1) The Trainee prepares and tells seven stories to her chosen audience -- and leads discussions with her listeners about the stories and the ways they were told.

 

2) The Trainee leads a Storytelling Class / Workshop (one or more sessions) with her chosen students.

 

3) The Trainee writes a few pages about each of these experiences, and discusses these thoughts with Dr Eric.

 

Dr Eric helps / coaches / mentors along the way -- via phone, videoconference, email, and/or in-person (at the WSI's space

in Alwarpet).

 

The process occurs over approx two months.

 

The fee for this training and certification is Rs 6,000.

 

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Versions of the above-described Workshop could be designed for any duration, for any group size, for people of any age and profession, and to occur in-person or via videoconference.

 

 

 

 

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