The Ballarat Storytellers at the Community Garden: 18 February

The Ballarat Community Garden is having a Pizza night. BYO pizza gear and the oven is provided.

The Ballarat Storytellers will be there with a crop of stories to share.

These storytellers are a unique group in the Vic Guild; they're happy to donate their time and skills. The BST's stories have been enjoyed at the Daylesford Words in Winter Festival, Ballarat Artisan's Festival and of course The Community Garden.

They're a friendly bunch who meet regularly to practice their craft, arrange workshops and plan their storytelling calendar.

Where: The Ballarat Community Garden, corner of Queen Street and Dyte Parade. Ballarat

When: 18 February. 6.00pm

Cross your fingers for a non-damp evening! Pizza night has been cancelled due to rain a fair bit recently. Please check the weather forecast before you rock up.

Learn more about:

The Ballarat Community Garden

The Ballarat Storytellers

Ashley Ramsden. Workshops/Performances 12 - 18 April

Dear friend of storytelling,

Master storyteller, Ashley Ramsden, from the International School of Storytelling in the UK, is coming through Melbourne again from 12-18 April. For those of you who have worked with him before, you'll know he is a wonderful workshop leader with a great capacity to inspire, encourage and innovate. I always come away from a session with Ashley with ideas for storytelling, teaching, facilitating and, well, just living more playfully.

Workshops:

• 12-13 April: Master class (two-days) for experienced storytellers,
• 12 April: The inside story, an evening seminar for therapists and those who work with healing,
• 14 April: I have a voice, special workshop to deepen communication for those of us who facilitate, teach, coach, speak publicly or tell stories.
• 16-17 April: Sustainable stories, (two-days) focusing on stories to help us face the future with love and wisdom for beginning and experienced storytellers

All workshops: MIECAT studios in Fitzroy.

Performances with musical accompaniment:

• 13 April: 'Tistou of the green thumbs', an exquisite ecological fable from French author, Maurice Druon, ,
• 16 April: 'Tristan and Iseult'. Ashley will move and inspire with this Celtic legend

VENUE: Glen Eira Theatrette, Caulfield.

Flyer and registration form with all the details and the information is available on EVENTS.

Give me a call or send me an email if you want to know more!

Clare Coburn

Fabled Communication

clare@fabled.com.au

0422 019 970

One World, Many Stories: Bookweek 20 -26 August.

The holiday season is over and schools are slowly opening around the state and it's business as usual!

Vic Guild tellers are preparing their programs for the year.

The highlight of the storytelling year is always Children's Bookweek.

If you are considering a storyteller for Bookweek please browse the list of Vic tellers. You will find links to websites and booking agents and all the information you need to book a storyteller. It pays to book early and avoid disappointment. Several of our storytellers are also published authors and all of them believe in One World, Many Stories ..... goes without saying ...

Diane Wolkstein and Jeff Greene: Journey to the West

The National Gallery of Victoria was the coolest place to be on Sunday January 30 as temperatures soured in Melbourne to 40 degrees. No doubt it was even hotter in the city with heat radiating from the pavement!

Members of the Vic Guild and guests from South Australia and Tasmania gathered in the Great Hall to hear Diane Wolkstein accompanied by Jeff Greene, tell the story of Monkey King: Journey to the West. With Jeff's poetic and evocative soundscape, Diane transported us to magical and timeless places. A storyteller at the height of her skills, Diane's love of language, integration of movement and powerfully expressive voice all contribute to a spellbinding performance.

The Australian storytellers joined Jeff and Diane for afternoon tea in the gallery cafe. January has been a rich month of story and it has been our pleasure to host our interstate and OS guests.

Men in black: Jeff Greene (left) and Graham Ross from SA deep in conversation

Rocket Clock story slam: 2011 Trades Hall

What is Rocket Clock?

Rocket Clock is a story slam competition. Ten people each have five minutes to tell a story around a particular theme. Judges in the audience rate each story on both content and performance. Everyone has a great time.

Upcoming Slams

Wednesday February 9, 2011: “Good Intentions”
Wednesday March 9, 2011: “Small World”
Wednesday April 6, 2011: “Lesson Learnt” *Comedy Festival special*
Wednesday April 13, 2011: “Secrets” *Comedy Festival special*

Rocket Clock is not a Vic Guild event but our roving reporter has been along and reports that its loads of fun and very welcoming. (Don't be afraid to go on your own. Before the night is out you will have a table of new best friends.)

Check EVENTS under Links on this blog for more details.

Jan Andrews and Jennifer Cayley: Midsumma Festival

While in Melbourne for the Midsumma Festival, Jan and Jennifer had a schedule of performances, workshops and publicity engagements that would make any storyteller's hair curl.

The Vic Guild, joined by Graham Ross (South Australia), Shirley Way and Bettina Nissen (Queensland) gathered in Williamstown to attend The Book of Spells. In this beautifully crafted night of story Jan and Jennifer celebrate

their journey together. Binding their personal tale to Sara Maitland's Book of Spells, a collection of contemporary fairytales for adults, the evening was thought provoking and moving .

For the first time Midsumma programmed some children's events. Jan and Jennifer told their stories in Williamstown under the elms to an attentive audience of small people. Perfect location, perfect weather and perfectly ....

enchanting!

The Vic Guild love to celebrate and welcome interstate and overseas guests. Jan and Jennifer are our first OS visitors this year. Following The Book of Spells, they were wined and dined and treated to a night under the urban stars around a camp fire. Pictured is JJ Sheills who arrived with one of his magnificent vegan chocolate cakes. Bettina Nissen standing beside JJ is admiring our banner! This banner goes back a long way and we thought we had lost it. It has magically reappeared bringing with it many memories.

As a gift to our guests from Canada and interstate JB Rowley shared the story of Chloe. In Melbourne's historic pub, Young and Jackson, in the public bar, hangs a painting of a beautiful young nude woman. For those of us who grew up in Melbourne when there was still 6 o'clock closing and the 'swill', Chloe is etched into our memories. Small children were hurried past the pub, respectable mothers muttering, 'Chloe is in there!' We all loved Chloe although we could not see her. However times have changed, the 'swill' is no longer and she hangs hangs proud and beautiful, still in the bar for all to see. Chloe is a story you will only find in Melbourne at Y and J's

Jan and Jennifer, we thank you for coming all this way and sharing the story gift with us

Jackie Kerin

Jackie has a saying: ‘Before there were books, there were stories.’

She is the only storyteller to win the Port Fairy Festival Storytelling Award three times and is a winner of Australia's most prestigious award, The Spirit of Woodford Original Stories and Yarns.

Trained as an actress, Jackie now relishes her place in the Storytelling Australia (Vic). As a traditional storyteller she only tells the stories that give her pleasure.

Jackie takes pride in her ability to engage listeners of all ages. She is happy to work in a variety of settings: schools, kindergartens, museums, art galleries, literary, folk and community festivals.

Jackie breathes life into:

• Traditional folk tales from around the world
• String stories
• Rhymes, chants and finger stories (for little people)

She also:

• Recites verse and tells original tales, historical tales and tall stories

Jackie offers workshops in storytelling for childcare workers, teachers, children – anyone who wishes to develop their craft.

Jackie is a published author. Phar Lap the wonder horse, illustrated by Patricia Mullins (pub: Museum Victoria) was listed as notable by the CBCA in 2008. Her next book Lyrebird! a true story, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe (pub: Museum Victoria) will be out before the end of the year.

SHARK! is an original tale based on a true incident and recited here by Jackie for your enjoyment.

Jackie is planning her festival and other public appearances for 2012 where she will be performing and speaking about the art of traditional oral storytelling and her work as a writer for children.

pic: Newport Lakes Bush Dance: kamishibai storytelling

Jackie’s website contains a blog with regular posts so you can see the breadth of her activities.

Contact Jackie: Jackie Kerin

Bookings:

Storytelling Garden

Creative Net