 Mini Residencies are an opportunity to work with me personally. Our weekends combine practice and study expanding our skills in how to bring a story alive and how the process of engagement functions. They are open to those with a great deal of performance experience, to those new to storytelling. It is equally rich with insight and hands on “action” for practitioners working in the humanitarian, health or education fields, or those wanting better capacity at telling stories, listening or creating stories in business, leadership or speeches. The diversity of knowledge, interest and experience makes the learning even more relevant.
~Laura
The Cow That Feeds the World: Storytelling as Compassion
August 13-17, 2013
Engaged storytelling is a unique event with tremendous reparative benefits in our world today. How we learn to tell a story has tremendous effect. We will work forwards and backwards through a single story using exercises that reveal how a story comes alive – deepening our sense of presence, language as living image, and reciprocity – And, gaining access to the inner structure of meaning of a story. Hidden and waiting like a seed, there are elements of stories that arises only in the unique engagement of telling. Combining contemplative practices with empathetic listening and spontaneous writing, we will learn profound skills to unlock the secrets and benefits of live storytelling for audiences of all ages. This is work that is akin to accessing fundamental knowledge about oral storytelling that reaches beyond our habit of understanding content only. Each participant brings a single traditional tale. We will also work with personal narrative and dream poems. Lunch is provided daily.
The cost of the residency is $800. Staying at the loft is an additional $300. We will help you find bed and breakfast or small hotel once the loft is full. All travel and additional meals and board are not included in the cost. If you are coming from out of town, please speak to us directly. To reserve a spot, send half of the fee through paypal or call for further information and payment possibilities: 212 674 3479. There is a $150 non-refundable deposit. Register soon, we are half full.
Also available:
Thinking Like a Storyteller
Parts I and II, each are One Day
Sunday, May 20, 2012 10am – 4pm
Having recognized and experienced the fundamental quallities of presence, awareness, reciprocity and generosity of the storyteller, we will go further and find out what skills one needs to prepare a story for performance. We will all work with a single story together, reflecting on our own inner narrative journey as we uncover structure of story and structure of engagement, how to harvest images and symbols, and how to shape beginning, middle and end with ease, suspense and responsibility.
Limited to 14. $125.00 includes lunch. Contact for more information
Having recognized and experienced the fundamental quallities of presence, awareness, reciprocity and generosity of the storyteller, we will go further and find out what skills one needs to prepare a story for performance. We will all work with a single story together, reflecting on our own inner narrative journey as we uncover structure of story and structure of engagement, how to harvest images and symbols, and how to shape beginning, middle and end with ease, suspense and responsibility.
Limited to 14. $125.00 includes lunch. Contact for more information
What A Beautiful Road
The journey of the story
Exploring what we need to tell a tale
Trusting the Noble Heart
A focus on fairytale and personal stories
Focusing on a single fairytale called THE PIGEON BRIDE, we uncover how a traditional tale provides a template for self discovery and transformation. participants create a personal story while learning to tell this story.
814 Broadway
New York, New York 10003
(Near Union Square)
For further information please contact
Wesley Jacques at the Laura Simms Studio laurasoffice@yahoo.com;
All fees to be paid in advance or through special arrangement. PAYPAL accepted