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WHAT'S NEW
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The art of storytelling
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Inject some life into your next story and keep your audience on their edge of their seats.
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By Homemakers
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The art of storytelling involves much more than saying a series of words. While the words are important, the storyteller's use of natural body movements, facial and hand gestures, and the voice are of vital consideration. Don't be alarmed. You don't have to dramatize the story as if you are appearing on stage.
Watch people around you while they are having a conversation. Their faces glow or glower, depending on the tone of the dialogue; their arms and hands move, gesturing to the listener in an attempt to give more force to the words and images they are trying to convey; and their eyes focus on the eyes of their listeners. They lean into the conversation (as do their attentive listeners), their voices range through several pitches, and they speak at varying speeds. For example, when they get to the exciting part, the climax, their speech gets faster, often louder, as they communicate the point of the anecdote. Listen to the way pauses are used to add drama, suspense, or humour before delivering the punch line of a joke or story. There is no pressure from the audience to provide a polished performance - the listeners are enjoying the pictures created by the teller. This is exactly what should happen when you are telling a "prepared" story. The most effective storyteller is the one who looks and sounds as if storytelling is an effortless activity.
When the storyteller thoroughly enjoys the story and can see the characters, setting, and action clearly in his or her own mind during the telling, much of the art of storytelling comes naturally.
Use natural gestures
Most people automatically make use of their hands, body, and face to help them communicate an idea or to replace dialogue. "Yes" and "no" are frequently communicated by the appropriate shake of the head. A person scolding a child often shakes his or her finger — "no." "Come here," "I don't know," "stop," and "over there" are only a few of the examples of statements that can be communicated without words. These gestures can be easily and effectively employed when telling your tales — the danger may be in using them too emphatically or too often. In today's world of visual stimulation, audiences may watch your hands instead of focusing on what you are saying. If you are prone to waving your hands around energetically we recommend loose clothing with large comfortable pockets to hide them in. Another word of warning: gestures should be well timed, slightly anticipating your words rather than following them. Otherwise, the story and the action are slightly out of kilter, leaving the listener dissatisfied without knowing why. In order to be as effective as possible, we practice and practice our gestures until they become "spontaneous."
Excerpted from Telling Tales: Storytelling in the Family by Gail de Vos, Merle Harris and Celia Barker Lottridge copyright 2003 by University of Alberta Press. Excerpted, with permission by University of Alberta Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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