Art of Oral Storytelling (children aged 5+)

Workshops:  Building Connections through the Art of Oral Storytelling (children aged 5+)

Dates and times: Thursday 3,10,17,24, 31 August, and 7 September - 11:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 to 15:00

The art of storytelling is as ancient as the river Thames that winds its way through our county.  It is an intimate and immersive art form that demands the storyteller to work with the story until it feels like a lived experience. The storyteller demonstrates a wide range of communication skills, while the story illustrates aspects of the world we live in, what it is to be human, and how to navigate life. In New Malden's diverse community, stories from around the world are incorporated to help build bridges across cultural divides.

Regular listening to and sharing of stories improves literacy and spoken language skills. These skills make it possible for you to better communicate your needs, concerns and ideas. While stories that include a difficult and emotional journey can help you develop empathy, compassion and resiliency.

In these sessions, you will be encouraged to participate in the storytelling process by responding to questions, repeating refrains, and making noises or gestures to enhance the story experience. You can also bring an appropriate short story, riddle, or song to share.

Belinda Storyteller is the director of the Curious House of Stories a small pop-up festival that she takes around the country telling stories and supporting community projects.

Belinda has a wide range of traditional, folk, historical, personal, modern, original and commissioned stories to her repertoire. She has been performing since 2009 to a wide range of audiences and locations including residential homes for profoundly disabled adults, weddings, busking and bedsides. Her performances are described as quirky, passionate, intelligent and thought provoking.

Belinda's interest in stories began when she discovered reading fiction and fantasy mixed with creative writing enabled her to cope with childhood trauma. During her degree, she studied: child development through literature, primary teaching and children's literature. She has also studied oral storytelling, clinical hypnotherapy, NLP, personal coaching, and counselling. She is also a part-time Learning Coach working with 16 to 19 year old high needs students. She has a current Enhanced DBS for Education.

You can contact Belinda on

http://www.curioushouseofstories.com/

https://www.facebook.com/curioushouseofstories/

https://www.instagram.com/curioushouseofstories/

FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1332804367663422/1332804447663414