CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE NEWS FRONT 9/24/07

There is no place better to sharpen future storytelling skills than in Oracle, Arizona
Long before television, the Internet and cell phones, human history was passed down through the art of storytelling.

In October and November, Central Arizona College's Community Education program will offer a four-week class designed to teach the basics of personal storytelling from the conception of the story through delivery.

What's Your Story? The Art of Personal Storytelling will meet at The Station in Oracle, Ariz., on four consecutive Thursday evenings beginning October 18 from 6-8 p.m. The program is just $45 and will conclude on November 8.

“The class will be a combination of short presentations with lots of hands-on exercises,” Penelope Starr, the instructor of the class, described. “Students will learn how to mine their own lives for stories, craft the events into interesting stories, present the stories to each other, and learn how to give constructive feedback.”

Starr is the founder and artistic director of Odyssey Storytelling, a series that has been entertaining and amazing Tucson for nearly four years.

“We invite six people to tell 10-minute stories based on a theme,” Starr explained. “If you go to the website and click on archives and pictures, you will see a list of the dozens of people from diverse backgrounds who have been storytellers.”

Starr's program allows participants to discover the art and craft of the personal story by providing a comfortable environment for participants to practice. As a student, you will:

· Learn the elements of good story development and delivery
· Improve communication skills and learn new ones
      · Enhance your public speaking skills
       ·  Learn now to make effective presentations
       · Tell the story of your work
       · Engage your listener
       · Practice creativity
       · Gain confidence, reduce fear, tap memory, clarify values
       · Create an atmosphere of sharing
       · Enhance mutual respect for different ways of thinking and working
       · Understand and appreciate diverse communication styles

“One of the missions of Odyssey Storytelling, and one of my personal goals, is to empower everyone to share their stories with others in order to break down the false barriers between us,” Starr said.

The class is open to everyone, but local artists may find it extremely useful when attempting to convey the meaning of their work. It gives them another medium to connect with the public.

“We are hoping to also use the storytelling class in Oracle as a way for local artists to learn how to talk about their work - in other words, the story behind the artwork,” Starr said. “Many artists have difficulty doing that, and with so many artists in Oracle, we thought this class could be very helpful.”

Members of the community can learn more about Starr's program by logging into her website www.odysseystorytelling.com , or by contacting her directly by phone (520-730-4112) or e-mail ( penelope@odysseystorytelling.com ).

To register for the course, please contact Priscilla Barton at Central Arizona College's Aravaipa Campus at 520-357-2817 or toll free at 866-869-6507, x2817.

ODYSSEY STORYTELLING