2010 OOPS Conference was a Delight!
If you were one of the lucky storytellers/story lovers who
attended our April 30 – May 2 OOPS! Conference, you know how
special it was. Our headliner, Dovie Thomason, inspired each of
us. Her words of storytelling wisdom were simple, yet
profound:
Be Yourself
Follow no teacher
Be grateful to your many teachers. Some of them do not know
they taught you.
As storytellers, we can use very few words, the listeners do the
rest.
Never tell the listeners as much as you know, don’t lock them
in.
You serve the event.
We are strongest when we talk from where we’re rooted.
She elaborated on these themes as she “held conversation” with us,
she preferred this to calling her presentation a workshop.
Dovie feels that when we tell folktales that or not ours
1. We will change them from what they
are
2. We dilute them
She told us that all of our children are hungry for
stories. So we should give them our best. Our best
are the stories from our own roots. She knows storytellers
who claim to come from the “Heinz 57 Varieties” in terms of their
culture. Well then, such storytellers have 57 countries’
stories to tell before they have to take from her culture, the
indigenous or native culture of the United States.
Her people are still recovering from not having their
religious freedom official until 1991. Even then, they could
not talk their own language or be raised in their own culture.
Dovie quoted the storytelling legend, Ray Hicks. He
told us that a storyteller is a blend of: “Them old people
told me,” and, “I got that on my own.”
Her performance at the concert was wonderful.
It was worth the price of the conference just to be in Dovie
Thompson’s workshop, hear her at the concert, and rub shoulder
with her throughout the weekend. She was so generous with
individual questions and conversation.
Participants were very pleased with the workshop
offerings this year. We learned so much, and gave rave
reviews to Jim Flanagan, Mary Garrett, Chris King, Donna
Kuczynski, David Austin Sky, and Paige Tighe. Concert Emcee,
Adele Browne did her usual fantastic job. We heard
youth teller, Julissa Reyes, there, for our first time. She
is a wonderful rising star, and just fourteen! Greg and
Natalie Whittmann rounded out the concert with one of their great
tandem performances. We had a small ceremony before the
concert began to welcome long serving Board member in many
positions, and recent Membership Chair and Webmaster for many
years, Chris King, into Life Time Membership with OOPS!
The SWAPS were popular, and full of new tellers and
seasoned ones. Also the trial offering “Inexperience Counts”
worked well. This was a casual question and discussion,
totally spontaneous, where Jonatha and Harold Wright, Dave Davis
and Michael Kasony-O’Malley addressed the questions brought by new
tellers. We will do this again in 2011.
By the way, we have secured Baba Jamal Koram for the
2011 OOPS! Conference!
So, thank you to everyone who did so much to help make
the 2010 OOPS! Conference a success! That means all the
board, but especially Bizzie Vunderink, our Veep and outstanding
conference organizer; Melanie Pratt, Secretary and conference
registrar; and Cathy Jo Smith, treasurer, and our tireless and
through sales manager of our resource table. We also thank
the pastor and members of The First Congregational Church of Mt
Vernon for use of their beautiful church, recently redecorated, and
for facilitating our weekend so graciously! Thank you Keith
Stuart, pastor; and Bob Casey and Cynthia Phipps who set out the
food, helped us with all building needs, took care of housekeeping,
and so much more.
We held a short business meeting, where we regretfully
accepted the resignation of Northeast Ohio Representative to the
Board and Newsletter Editor, Jonathan Fairman. We took
nominations for the new NE Representative. Janelle Reardon
was elected.
What Follows Below isthe description for the 2010 Conference
Before it was held... O.O.P.S! Is Known For Its Events!
On April 30, May 1 and 2,2010 we will be holding our
twenty-fourth Annual Spring Conference in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It
promises to be better than ever - entertaining, enlightening,
loaded with creativity and how-tos and, most of all, FUN!
Entertainment will include stories presented by many of the finest
storytellers in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, California, Missouri and Michigan. Enlightenment
will be rampant in nine different workshops and a special
interactive sesson. Creativity and how-tos will be shared by all.
Note that all the buildings and spaces being used are handicapped
accessible! Socializing will include lots of food,entertainment,
interactive games for getting to know each other, a get acquainted
reception, story swaps and much, much more.
Dovie Thomason Will Be the Featured Teller for the O.O.P.S! 2010
Annual Conference
Dovie Thomason is an award-winning storyteller, recording artist
and author, recognized internationally for her ability to take her
listeners back to the “timeless place” that she first “visited” as
a child, hearing old Indian stories from her Kiowa Apache and
Lakota relatives, especially her Grandma Dovie and her Dad. From
their voices, she first heard the voices of the Animal People and
began to learn the lessons they had to teach her. For these were
teaching stories that took the place of punishment or scolding,
showing her the values that her people respect and wanted to pass
on to her. Her love of stories and culture set her on a path to
listen and learn and share the stories--to give people a clearer
understanding of the often misunderstood, often invisible, cultures
of the First Nations of North America.
The product of a “mixed” background that is urban Chicago and
rural Texas, Internet and ancient teachers, elders’ teachings and
university classrooms —Dovie began telling stories “publicly” while
teaching literature and writing at an urban high school in
Cleveland. So, she began telling those first-heard old Indian
stories--stories about making choices--stories that could become a
blueprint for a personal value system. As a winner of the Parents’
Choice Gold Award, Storytelling World Honors Award, the Audiofile
Award and the American Library Association/Booklist Editor’s Choice
Award for her recordings of traditional Native stories, Wopila: A
Giveaway and Lessons from the Animal People, Dovie has been
described as a “valuable resource for multicultural education” who
“skillfully portrays story characters in a way that is so vivid it
creates animated pictures in the listener’s mind.” Her latest
recording, “Fireside Tales: More Lessons from the Animal People”,
features the singing of, Micky Sickles, (Oneida) in stories and
songs of the Iroquois and Eastern Woodlands, and has recently been
chosen for an ALA Notable Recording Award and Pegasus Award.
Workshops to Be Shared at the O.O.P.S! 2010 Conference
“Exploring the Landscape of Stories” Featured Teller, Dovie
Thomason Stories and storytellers take their listeners on a walk
through an imagined landscape. Rooted in her experience of stories
as part of her Lakota and Kiowa Apache culture and her connection
to her Plains homelands, Dovie’s storytelling subtly reveals
‘PLACE’ as a character, not just a ‘setting’ or backdrop. The
landscape teems with the relationships of animal, human and spirit
life connected in imagination and story. What is the Landscape that
gives voice to your stories? What can you bring to a story that
makes you a trusted guide? What is the voice and vision you bring
to a story that makes it AUTHENTIC and worth sharing? Dovie’s
workshop will emphasize sharing, questioning, imagining and
enjoying---and some practical exercises that will help make your
story journey memorable - not memorized!
"The Business of Storytelling from the Ground Up” Kim
Weitkamp Kim will share how she has become a commissioned artist
through the Virginia Commission of the Arts, serves as the National
Youth Storytelling representative and is President of the Virginia
Storytelling Alliance. Her work as founder of the Wrinkles Project
has resulted in a nomination for the 2008 Governor’s Awards for the
Arts.
“The Wrinkles Project” Kim Weitkamp "Learn about Kim’s
involvement with The Wrinkles Project — a national campaign that
raises awareness of the treasure we have in the stories of our
'seasoned citizens' while offering training and resources to help
gather those stories from families, senior centers, independent
living communities, schools and libraries within their communities.
“
Urban Legends to the Rescue” Chris King In this fun and edgy
workshop, we will investigate the what, who, why, when, how, and
where of Urban Legends. Chris will share the power and fascination
of using Urban Legends in a variety of situations. You will leave
the session with at least one Urban Legend to tell in the
future.
“Open Hand Storytelling” Paige Tighe This interactive
workshop for teachers, parents, and storytellers will provide the
platform and justification for telling stories to and with a
traditionally under-represented population in storytelling
audiences—individuals with mild to moderate intellectual
limitations. Learn how to tell, when to tell and what works.
Troubleshooting will also be included.
“Froggie Goes to High School” Mary Garett Middle school
(junior high) and high school students crave stories as much as
anyone. Stories improve classroom atmosphere, discipline,
participation, learning, and enjoyment. At the end of this
workshop, participants will be able to select stories to fit
curriculum, organize stories to fit “found” time in the daily
schedule, and use stories to build class morale.
“Telling Stories to Help Your Neighbor” David Austin Sky
This workshop will give participants awareness on creating stories
to help. How do people want the stories told to them? How do you
tell a story that gives new options, experiences and information?
Experience a gentle and compassionate way to help the people in
your life.
“Storytelling in Nursing Homes and for Adult Care” Donna
Marie Kuczynski Find your comfort level. Leave your ego at the
door. Treat the audience as a group with consideration for
individual differences. They were responsible members of the
community, a family, a profession. Donna is a wife, mother,
grandmother, retired nurse, and a 30 year full time
storyteller.
“How to Be a Big Hit in the Schools Where You Tell” Jim
Flanagan Helpful hints in presenting your program, your appearance
and the impression it makes, crowd control, and actions that get
results, plus some ideas of what schools face in having assemblies
in 2010. Also, why schools should hire storytellers over authors.
“Inexperience Counts” Led by O.O.P.S! Facilitators Presentation by
and Conversation for those new or just stepping into storytelling —
all are welcome!
