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| Participants in a Creativity Through
Storytelling workshop, Scituate, Massachusetts |
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Workshops are available in length from ninety
minutes to a full week. Jay wants to establish a sense of ease and
trust in every workshop. In a very simple way, Jay draws out memories
which are the seeds of stories. Depending on the length of the workshop,
Jay works with all of the elements of story. Everyone is creative
and the workshops are a time to let the creativity blossom.
Stories are the way we understand life. A workshop can be a chance
to explore your own story and examine the images that guide you.
Or it can be more practical; a chance to explore sound and voice,
rhythm and repetition in a story, or to discover how you structure
a story.
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In this workshop, participants have a chance to develop stories
orally and through writing. We work with character, place, imagery
and dialogue. It's very encouraging to work in silence together
and then hear appreciations about your writing. The same is true
for "writing in the air," telling memories to another person in
the workshop. These workshops manage to be both creative and playful,
and leave the participants refreshed.
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Jay works with participants on imagery, metaphor, the use of body,
voice, sound and movement. This workshop is open to everybody, professional
storytellers and people who have never told a story. You come to
the workshop with a beginner's mind, and learn from one another.
Jay will tell some stories that use exercises to get participants
telling very simple memories. The workshop is both playful and practical.
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Jay tells one of his long stories, then we talk about that story
and the process of creating it. When creating a story, it's crucial
to have an image, character or situation that draws you intensely.
After that you need commitment and support.
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After lawyers gather the facts they are confronted with the job
of the artist. They must shape those facts. Like any artist, the
lawyer must choose details and images, and have a vision of what
he or she wants to communicate.
Jay will tell a story so participants see the full range of dramatic
possibilities. Secondly, participants will bring a case they're
working on or have worked on in the past. The idea of the workshop
is to identify participants' strengths and build on those.
One lawyer from the Cook County Public Defenders office said that
the workshop was most helpful. He said of the case he presented
after my workshop, "My colleagues at the Public Defender's Office
and my rivals from the State's Attorney's Office lauded my performance
as one of the most dramatic, powerful performances they had ever
seen."
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For two years, Jay has conducted an ongoing writing workshop and
is now offering weekend writing workshops. In a relaxed atmosphere,
people write on the spot. There is something very powerful in writing
in a group and then hearing one another read the material. It's
inspiring. Participants in Jay's workshop are working on novels,
short stories, and poems. These are people who wanted to write all
of their life, and now they're doing it. The writing workshop is
a place to start.
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In this workshop, we'll make use of that marvelous tool, memory.
We'll reflect on times in our lives when things have been easy,
flowing and creative. This workshop is a chance to give shape to
your dream. In the workshop, you'll have listeners who will help
you clarify your dream. Once the dream is clear the next step is
commitment. We'll talk about how you can get the support for your
commitment once you leave the workshop.
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What is helpful in speaking in public is knowing your strengths
and having confidence in what you have to say. Part of the trick
is to have our nervous energy go into what you have to say. Another
important element in any speech, is using story to engage the imagination
of the listener. The most important thing is being present. Audiences
can feel the energy of those who are fully present to them. We'll
work on all these elements.
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A workshop exploring the power and mystery of place. Every story
is set in a place and the listener or reader needs a clear sense
of that place. This workshop explores the sounds, smells, texture,
sights and tastes of place. There will be exercises to help participants
recall the power of place in childhood.
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Stories are primarily about characters whether they be Jack of the
Jack Tales or King Lear. In storytelling we bring character alive
with tone, gesture, voice, dialogue and action. In the Character
workshop, you explore characters in your childhood and discover
what makes the description sharp and lively. Jay will tell scenes
from some of his stories and we'll examine what makes those characters
come alive.
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