“Michael’s coaching sessions are the storytelling equivalent of Jedi training.”
An immersive and interactive online workshop for adults wanting to delve deeper into story, delivered by leading, international storyteller Michael Harvey
Online: Fri 10th - Sun 12th November 2023
£205
Go Tell it On the Mountain will give you tools, tips and strategies from one of the top contemporary storytellers working today to help you become more fluent and confident in both creating and telling stories.
We will be working in a deep and playful way in order to bring us home to story and creativity. The workshop is aimed at everyone. Those who love story, those who want to use it professionally with their clients and those who want to facilitate story sessions as part of their work or with their families and children.
Through storytelling and story-making we will weave story and magic together as we renegotiate our way back into the new version of the world that we will create with community, creativity and joy.
Dragon, Llananno Church, Radnorshire
“I absolutely loved the course, I’m keen to do more.
Hope to join you again soon for some more wonderful storytelling.”
The workshop is designed for the general public as well as therapists, counsellors and healers of all kinds.
Michael Harvey
I help people reconnect with the depth and creativity of myth and other traditional narratives in order to create new stories and tell them convincingly and authentically. We’ll do this by getting into the specifics of how traditional narrative form and symbols actually work.
I am a top international, award-winning storyteller and facilitator. I have taught and directed leading and emerging contemporary storytellers and have worked extensively in the education sector facilitating the creativity of both students and staff.
Since lockdown I have spearheaded storytelling coaching and training online with students from Bridgend to Brazil. To my surprise, I have found that the cohort experience online is even stronger than in conventional courses and that the continuation is more sustained once the teaching sessions are over.
I have been a professional storyteller for over twenty-five years. I have worked internationally, teaching and performing on every continent (except Antarctica!).
During lockdown I have been coaching and directing a number of leading and emerging UK and international storytellers for new and innovative performances of traditional and newly-minted stories.
I have performed at leading festivals worldwide, including Beyond the Border and the National USA Storyelling Festival. I won a Major Creative Wales Award in 2011 that allowed me to deepen my storytelling expertise including the 3rd Labo at La Maison du Conte near Paris over an 18 month period.
“Thanks so much for those rich and wonderful days. It was just what I wanted: something completely new to me, out of my comfort zone and with some nourishing input... I liked the way you paced it and responded to the group. Loved the stories - yours and ours - and I know I will take what I’ve learned into my writing. Thanks for all the resources too.”
Dreaming the Night Field with Adverse Camber in Felin Uchaf Roundhouse, Llŷn Peninsula, North Wales
“Thank you for the wonderful illuminating four days of awe and wonder of Storytelling. I look forward to further adventures in story.”
As well as performing traditional stories to audiences large, small and online I have developed methods to create resonant and meaningful stories with groups in schools, businesses and organisations including the NHS.
Stories created and told together are an escape-hatch from a Covid mentality and back to the world we all come from. A shared world of magic, transformation, animism, group creativity and joy.
I have led story creation activities with NHS staff, pupils in mainstream education from Early Years to Key Stage 4, teachers, businesses, groups with special educational needs, museum staff and members of the general public.
If you want to find out more before booking just email me or give me a ring in 07812 166138 (replace the 0 with 44 if calling from outside the UK)
“I thought the course was excellent. It was superbly facilitated to create an environment where it was safe to experiment and participants could learn from each other. Thanks very much!”
Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island
Getting to Grips with Story
Traditional narrative patterns are superficially simple. They often have a single protagonist who encounters a major difficulty, which gets even more serious and is eventually resolved. It sounds simple, so why is it so difficult to pull off in a satisfying way?
Part of the problem is that our education has taught us that there are wrong and right answers and stories fall under the heading of ‘literature’ which is the preserve of well-read and erudite people who ‘understand’ it. The stories we will be working with are not part of ‘education’ but part of life. The more we engage with stories as a joyful and satisfying aspect of life the more we will resonate authentically with the material we create.
If storymaking and storytelling don’t come easily to you it is probably because no one had shown you the core tools and methods that make it possible and pleasurable. Once you have a clear understanding of storytelling tools and practice you will be well on your way to finding your storytelling creative flow.
“There’s a big difference between a performer who tells you what they have learnt, and a teacher who makes a space for you to learn what you are ready to learn, and walks beside you while you do it. Michael is a true teacher.”
“An extraordinary example of collaborative creativity”
Can this work online? To my surprise, I have found that the cohort experience online is even stronger than in conventional courses and that the continuation is more sustained once the teaching sessions are over. We will be using whole group learning and breakout rooms for more collaborative work and doing some easy and playful work with objects and mark-making to give our brains a rest from words.
The key teaching and exercises in the course will be available to you after the course is over on a dedicated learning platform.
Why now? Making and sharing stories now will prepare us to enter and engage with whatever the next version of ‘normal’ will be when the time comes.
The narrative arcs, symbols and characters will be there to remind us of who we are when the going gets tough or we get disorientated.
We’re all going to get busier soon and we need to get the tools and skills ready to keep ourselves creative, supple, joyful and human.
Storytelling and Climate As these sessions develop I find that climate issues are becoming more prominent in the groups’ creative work. I’ve found that the group goes deep into the story world and metaphors of the material we are working with and respond with depth, resonance and even joy.
“The course was absolutely perfect for me. I so enjoyed it, and felt engaged and inspired the whole time You were a superb facilitator. The entire group was lovely, and the dynamics of each of the breakout rooms I was in worked.”
Storytelling workshop in Beypazarı, Turkey
What will I get?
A bank of stories, told by me, to use yourself
Creative story activities led by a leading practitioner
Tried and trusted methods of creating original narrative based on traditional story patterns
Key storytelling tools for honing and telling your story
The creative stimulation and support of cohort and small-group activities
A dedicated course website where you can view selected recordings of the sessions and guidance notes so that you can go on to create and tell stories yourself or with groups once the course is over
What should I bring? You’ll be asked to collect a few objects, some simple art materials and have pen and paper handy. Full details will be sent once you have signed up.
“I attended an inspiring training event at Oriel Davies yesterday, led by superb storyteller and fellow Creative Agent, Michael Harvey. Thank you NAWR, the regional Arts and Education network for the ERW region for arranging this event. Great to meet teachers who are enjoying developing their learning through creativity skills so much!”
If you have any more questions please email me or give me a ring on 07812 166138 (replace the 0 with 44 if outside UK)
Practicalities
Dates: 10th - 12th November
Times: 1pm - 5pm UK time
Where: Online using Zoom
Cost: £205
CPD: The course will give you a CPD certificate for 12 hours contact time of training.
Maximum Numbers: 24 people
Cancellations: Any request to change (e.g. defer to alternative dates) or cancel your place at a workshop that is made at less than 21 days before the course start date will be charged in full. Any cancellation / amendments / requests to defer before 21 days, will be subject to a 12.5% handling charge.
For more info or help: email sambaker.pa@gmail.com or call Juliet Grayson on 01291 638805
This course is organised through Sleeping Mountain Ltd
The admin is undertaken by Interaction Training Ltd
Thorn tree on Crug Hywel