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Jan Blake Storyteller/The Akua Storytelling Project

3 days ago

Tonight in York. 😍 Who’s coming? ...

Telling The Blues – York Literature Festival

yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk

Storyteller Jan Blake, and guitarist Matt Chandler, fuse grown-up fairytale, legend and song to tell the blues. This is a performance to raise the roof and bring the stars down to listen… Presented by the Crick Crack Club.

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Jan Blake Storyteller/The Akua Storytelling Project is with Douglas Mackay and 2 others.

4 days ago

A great week working with this lovely lot on A Body Of Words Storytelling Masterclass. This week was all about the Trickster archetype. Coyote, Ananse, Hermes Loki and The beautiful, but deadly Fatima all made an appearance, much to my delight. Thanks for the stories folks; the stories & the trust. See you next month for Module 2; Shapeshifters
#janblakeatoryteller
#abodyofwordstorytellingmasterclass
#inabelltentimanchester
#lovelystudents
#beautifulstories
#joy
#gratitude
#raconteuse. ...

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Jan Blake Storyteller/The Akua Storytelling Project

2 weeks ago

Last night I was Stealing Thunder with Nick & Emily Hennessy. Not only did I get to meet a lovely new Storytelling audience, but I also got to meet the very bonny Finlay Bjorn Hennessey. I’ve seen some gorgeous babies in my time, but Finlay...What a boy! 😍
Thanks to Kay & Gary for hosting me last night and for a lovely breakfast this morning. Now it’s time to take the train home, from Oxenholme. ...

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About

As one of the leading storytellers, Jan Blake has been performing worldwide for over twenty-five years. Specialising in stories from Africa, the Caribbean, and Arabia, she has a well-earned reputation for dynamic and generous storytelling. Recent highlights include Hay Festival, where she was storyteller in-residence, the Viljandi Harvest Festival in Estonia and TEDx Warsaw.

As well as performing at all the major storytelling festivals both nationally and internationally, she works regularly with the British Council, leads storytelling workshops for emerging storytellers, and gives masterclasses for teachers, brands, and businesses. She also regularly captivates school children with mesmerising stories.

In 2011, she was the recipient of the biannual Thüringer Märchen Preis, awarded to scholars or performers who have devoted their lives to the service of storytelling. As part of the World Shakespeare Festival in 2012, she was the curator for Shakespeare’s Stories, a landmark exhibition that explored themes of journey and identity, in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

In 2013, The Old Woman, The Buffalo, and The Lion of Manding created and performed with musicians Kouame and Raymond Sereba toured to acclaim winning a British Awards for Storytelling Excellence (BASE).

Performances for Adults

...meant for adult ears only

Some stories abstract, passionate and violent, but most of all not meant for childrens ears. Experiencing worlds of love, hate, trickery and fate, you will be joining gods, animals and human beings on their journeys through their lives and hear, why they have become immortal through the tales of people.

Shows of the current Repertoire:

The Old Woman, The Buffalo, and The Lion of Manding

The birth of Sundiata Keita, legendary founder of the great Malian Empire in West Africa, is one of the most exciting birth-of-a-hero tales in the world. Featuring hunters, kings, prophecy, a buffalo woman, a jealous first wife, curses, insults, and acts of honour, this passionate and inspiring tale is the beloved story of the origin of a nation.

With Kouame and Raymond Sereba

Duration: 120 mins

Forbidden

Should some stories be untold, are some subjects off limits? Cross the threshold into a world of twisted folk and fairytale where incest, infanticide and infatuation are to be found, and murder and mayhem abound.

Duration: 90 mins

Tales of the Orisha: Afro-Cuban Myth, Legend and Lore

The Orisha are among the pantheon of Yoruba deities, part of a belief system found across the world from Lagos to London to Long Island. Embark on a journey through some of the myths and legends that have sustained them, feasting on rich stories, rousing rhythm and sacred song.

with Crispin Robinson

Duration: 90mins

Sorrow and Love

An old farmer promises his daughters he’ll bring them their hearts’ desire. The youngest asks for sorrow and love, and so begins an unexpected journey of magic and intrigue. Tales told from Africa, England and Jamaica, of false promises, broken hearts and love everlasting.

with William Pearce-Smith

Duration: 90mins

Zebu

A beautiful girl is hatched from a large egg. Her mother, a zebu, is determined to keep her daughter by her side, promising terrible consequences if she ever leaves. But fate has other intentions …

Duration: 30mins

The Buffalo Woman

A hunter kills buffalo and takes the meat back to his village. But the young buffalo calf that watched him kill her mother is determined to make him pay. After many years of planning, the shape-shifting Buffalo Woman goes on a quest for revenge but doesn’t anticipate the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her son.

Duration: 30mins

The Leopard Woman

A hunter goes in search of a leopard cub, a sacrifice in honour of his newborn son – but on finding two cubs, greed overcomes reason and he takes both. Their mother however, a shape-shifting leopard, is determined to see her children returned home safely and the hunter pay a high price for his selfishness.

Duration: 30mins

The Girl and the Snake

The story of a jealous brother and a wronged sister, of revenge and redemption, and sibling relationships in both the human and animal kingdom. And of one girl’s courageous battle to live the happy life promised to her despite a cruel betrayal.

Duration: 30mins

Performances for Children

Storytelling is about community and includes everybody, young and old, making it such a wonderful family activity all over the world. Let your imagination run wild and follow Jan Blake into the far-away regions of our world with clever heros, compelling plot and enchanting songs.

Shows of the current Repertoire:

A Cat’s Tale

Jan Blake tells traditional tales – of a clever cat who finds the best home, a family of diligent cats who reward their human helper, and a greedy cat that eats everything it sees. These are the type of stories children will lap up!

With Percussive Accompaniment

Duration: 60mins

The Calabash Children

A childless woman prays to be a mother, a little sister refuses to do as she’s told, and a wicked godmother tries to get rid of her goddaughter. Join Jan Blake as she tells tales of stubborn sisters, ungrateful mothers, and beautiful friendships.

With Percussive Accompaniment

Duration: 60mins

Storytelling for Adults

A Body of Words Masterclasses 2019

A Body of Words is a series of four self contained storytelling modules for storytelling modules for intermediate storytellers

Each module will have a specific theme and will use particular types of stories to further focus on that theme.

We will work together to develop your own style & to explore the notion of totally immersive storytelling.

The course is practical and highly process oriented, beginning with a basic warm-up and containing teaching, demonstration, one-to-one tutoring and Q& A. Whilst there will be lots of time for group work, the participants must be prepared to present something alone for the rest of the group.

In between the course weeks, it is expected that the students will try out some of the skills they have learned during the previous week. The entire course will be run in English and it is expected that the participants will be fluent in the language.

Aims of the Masterclasses:

The aim of the course is to prepare the storyteller for performance in any situation, be it school, stage, festival or a small, intimate studio space. After the course the storyteller will:

Know how to expand, play with, understand and deepen their relationship with a story
Understand about the pacing and rhythm of a story
Understand how the use of music and song can enhance the telling of a story
Know how to prepare her/himself for a performance
Be able to use all aspects of the body and voice for delivering a story
Be able to freely inhabit the characters in her/his story
Be able to read and respond quickly to the audience they are telling for

The course dates are:

Module One

March 18-22

The Storytellers Presence

Tales of Tricksters and Fools

From the Ananse in West Africa & the Caribbean to the Hodja in Turkey there are numerous stories that celebrate wit, wisdom and the quiet knowledge of the common man.

The telling of these stories demands the total presence of the teller on stage. You have to be there; in the rhythm, in the characters and in your interaction with the audience. We will use these stories to explore who you are, how you tell and how to develop your particular style of telling.

Module Two

April 14-18

The Storyteller’s Body

Shape-Shifter Tales

The shape shifter is either born or transformed by some magical force. These stories are sometimes frightening, always fascinating and a total body experience.

The exploration of these stories will focus on your ability to physically inhabit characters, developing a physical language for yourself, using movement & gesture. We will also explore your physical relationship with the space and the audience.

Module Three

May 20-24

Music, Rhythm and song.

Tales of Heroes & Heroines.

The rhythm and pacing of a story is integral to its telling. From exposition to dialogue and inhabiting the character, the storytellers must know when the story needs them to linger for a while, when to move on, when to up the tempo and when to slow it down. As well as the integral rhythm, there is the rhythm in ring songs clapping games, body rhythms and call and response. Many of these rhythms we carry with us from childhood and can be used as tools for interaction with the audience and creating an atmosphere of joy.

Module Four

July 15-19

The Storytellers’ Voice
Tales of Passion

The voice is a fundamental instrument for communicating your story. As a storyteller, it can be very easy to focus on the narrative twists and turns of a story, to lose oneself in the physical expression of the characters whilst neglecting the very means that allows you to utter those timeless words “Once Upon a time.” With the voice we can further develop the characters and communicate a truer experience to your audience.

Booking details:

Max: 16 people

Cost: £500 per module.

Concessions: £375 per module

If you would like to sign up for this masterclass, please click on the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5T86JHK

What did participants say:

“Jan works in a very clear and straight forward way to help us each find our own way of telling the stories. She helps bring out the very best in everybody and has a wonderful way of weaving coaching, theory and practice together in a very useful way.” -Marianne

“No other storyteller embodies and promises to reconnect you with your joy of storytelling, in the way that Jan does. And through it to find one’s voice and power. That was awesome!!!!” -Gaurie

“It was a transformative and wonderful week of hard work and much joy. Thank you so much Jan.” -Dvora

“I would summarise the approach as spontaneity based on a thoroughly informed and disciplined intuition. How do you teach that? Somehow Jan does, through example and lots of perceptive personal feedback. She draws out what’s best.” -Greg

“Jan is as powerful a teacher as she is a storyteller. She has guided me to the heart of storytelling with her acute insight and wisdom. She has helped me to lift the veil of uncertainty that has shrouded my performances in the past, revealing a deeper truth and authenticity in my work” -Alice

Storytelling in Schools

Learning through Stories

Storytelling can assist the teacher in providing different context for the development of the major programmes of study (as outlined in Key stages I, 2,3 & 4 of the National Curriculum. e.g. English, the Sciences, Maths and Design & Technology.)

From the simple storytelling session, which allows children the opportunity to listen to and comment on stories told, to the more complex and intricate workshops designed to stimulate imagination.

As well as providing a safe environment for the development of language and communication skills, storytelling workshops can also provide a forum in which children’s natural storytelling abilities can be harnessed and strengthened.

Children should have access to stories, poems and songs from different cultural traditions.

Key stages of the National Curriculum, UK

Storytelling is particularly valuable in facilitating language in the Multi-cultural classroom, in that the elements of storytelling are universal and provide opportunities for bi-lingual children to develop vocabulary through repetition and participation. Bi-lingual children may also have their cultural identity validated by having stories from their own linguistic tradition the focus of a group activity.

Current Projects:

Bedtime Stories - is The Akua Storytelling Project’s current initiative for KS2

Bedtime Stories – is a 10 week project working with a storyteller and a visual artist

to learn and re-tell traditional stories, both orally & visually. The children will have opportunities to write the stories, so the focus is primarily on the importance of oral rehearsal. The children take a scene from their story and work with the artist to recreate that scene using textiles on a small panel. Each panel is then sewn onto a duvet so that each class will end up with a story quilt. This project has been developed for children in years 4 and 5 and aims to provides

A context for critical thinking and discussion on issues of importance

A love of literature through exposure to familiar story forms
A community of shared enquiry and experience
An awareness of our multicultural heritage of stories and books.
A stimulus to imagination, to verbal and visual creativity
A contribution to knowledge about language. its form and uses
An opportunity to practise active listening and speaking skills
Parent and child involvement in collecting traditional stories

At the end of the 10 weeks the project will culminate in an exhibition of the quilt and the children performing their stories to the rest of the school and parents.

Bedtime Stories project was created in 2005 for primary schools by international storyteller and children’s author Jan Blake. Since then the project has been in residency as an Excellence in Cities Project in primary schools, in the London Borough of Westminster.
Due to increasing popularity Bedtime Stories is now available to tour to other boroughs within London and its outer regions. The Fee is £5000 per class and each morning session lasts for half a day over 10 weeks.

Bedtime Stories project includes an INSET for all school staff. The one day inset will outline the project, clarify the role of teacher and workshop leaders, demonstrate storytelling and embroidery techniques, clarify expectations and levels of commitment and discuss project outcomes.

Bedtime Stories project will require schools to provide the following:

One plastic folder for each child to keep their work safe and clean
Pencils for sketching & drawing
Coloured pencils, pastels & wax crayons. We do not recommend the use of chalk.
A5 size paper.
Wallpaper or it’s equivalent size for drawing exercises
Scissors
One Teacher or Classroom Assistant is present at each session

The Akua StorytellingProject will provide:

A template for planning ideas
Threads
Binca
Needles & Pins
Felt & Fabric
Assorted Accessories

If you have any questions or know of any EIC project schools that you would like to recommend to book Bedtime Stories please contact Bid Mosaku on 020 8291 7757 or email:bidmosaku@btinternet.com