Storytelling is a talent I learned this weekend.  I first began by attending a workshop given by Connie Regan-Blake.  She says that the vital part of storytelling is appreciation.  This tells the storyteller what is good and what they need to work on.  A good storyteller has to be a good listener especially if they want to improve.  Remember the stories we tell should blend with our personalities and always keep in mind the age group we are telling too. 

 

Stories have rhythms we just need to find it and it will come when storytelling becomes a part of us.  She said be expressive when we need too but let the story tell it all and most important we need to use our own true voices.  Always be respectful of other cultures and know that some stories are sacred. 

 

She had us practice telling a story and my partner was Kathy Schlapp, what a riot.  I learned there are two types of stories the literary and the traditional story.  If we are new to storytelling then began by telling stories that are familiar to us.  Began in our culture!

 

I then attended the festival on a cold and windy Saturday.  To sum up the weekend I was drawn to Eldrena Douma, a Hopi Indian, not because she is Native but because she was an excellent storyteller.  It's just too bad she wasn't the Saturday concert person.  I really liked her story of the Chocolate Covered Cherries.  Angel Vigil is a close second he told stories about men, the cowboy man, and the Code of the West for cowboys. 

 

When Connie said you should tell stories of you culture Syd Liberman did with his Jewish background.  The little kids that were listening to him were laughing and their eyes were fixed on him for his next line.  His story about George Crow, a baseball player, really touch me.  I also liked Kevin Kling he told stories of his disabilities and had alot of energy in his voice.  This was my first storyteller festival the beginning of many more for me and I absolutely had a fun time listening.