June 9, 2004
Young authors tell a good story
'Once Upon a Time' storytelling workshop held at Traverse library
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
From "Once upon a time_" to "_and they lived happily every after," area youth delved into the art of storytelling.
Gathered Saturday morning at the Traverse Area District Library, the students learned the basics of characterization, plot development and pantomime. Staff from the Interlochen Pathfinder Summer Camp led the 90-minute class, providing a window into the Arts Adventure Camp geared to students in grades three through eight.
The session began with round robin stories, with each participant building on the story one sentence at a time as they went around the circle. The two stories included maidens, cats, fairy castles, a baby lion and a baby cheetah - each finding a rhythm of its own.
"That's what made the stories interesting, because we didn't know where they were going to go," said Tonya Donahue, a creative writing and storytelling instructor at the camp. "There were lots of twists and turns, a whole bunch of different developments in the story and several different climaxes."
Students then practiced telling stories without words, using their bodies. They pantomimed climbing a ladder, holding a melting ice cube, throwing a tennis ball and playing air guitar. Next they took turns being the sculptor and being clay, creating shapes that the others had to figure out with minimal hints. The Statue of Liberty, a soldier and a violin player made an appearance in clay.
"You can tell stories in many different ways: talking, writing, reading and acting it out," said JD Friley, director of Interlochen Pathfinder School. "Mime is a type of acting with no words."
After some games of stop action, they worked together on a story and acted it out.
Spending a warm, sunny spring morning indoors did not bother Tessa Christine Barrett, 12, a student at Long Lake Elementary School. Enthusiastic about all aspects of the dramatic arts, Barrett reveled in the class.
"I just love acting, this is the funnest thing," she said. "I liked how we could do plays and I just like getting up in front on an audience - I like to sing and dance and be dramatic."
Before concluding, Friley told the students to look around them and observe people around them to find ideas for stories. He encouraged them to write down their ideas and also take the time to flesh them out into stories.
"Poems are like stories, even if a poem doesn't rhyme, it is a story," Barrett said.
Storytelling and acting are a good way to engage students in learning and the creative process, noted Friley.
"It's fun to approach it from the standpoint of storytelling and theater because it invites participation of the group," he said. "If they are passive in the process, they won't learn as much. I was really tickled today, they were not passive."
Storytelling is just one aspect of the Interlochen Pathfinder Summer Camp's arts focus offerings for the summer. This year's expanded roster for older students also includes video imaging, theater and hands-on art.
In addition, the school teamed up with the Traverse Youth Orchestra to offer a String Camp. A wind and percussion camp is also available.
Younger children ages four and five can participate in the Arts Exploration camp. Children in first and second grades can choose from weekly themes ranging from the circus to astronomy to the Wild West during the Discovery Camp.
For more information on the Interlochen Pathfinder Summer Camp program, call the school at 995-3800.