You probably already know what storytelling is, but just to give a short definition within the context of Dream On: Storytelling is a performer telling stories live to an audience.

You probably already know what a storyteller is, but just to give a definition within the context of Dream On: A storyteller is an artist, an entertainer and an educator. Storytellers may tell traditional folk tales, written tales, stories from history, anecdotes, urban myths, religious or moral tales, stories they have created themselves or which have been created for a specific event. Our storytellers tell a wide range of stories, and some also present interactive programs or workshops that engage the audience in telling their own stories.

Good storytellers do not "recite" stories word by word. They may tell a story differently each time they tell it, interacting with their audience. A storyteller takes you on a journey of the imagination. Each person will hear something (slightly) different and imagine something (slightly) different as the story is created in the space between the teller and the listener. Good storytellers always know: -What does the story mean to me? -What do I most want to communicate through the story? Some storytellers use music, dance, song, props or puppets.

Performances can vary a great deal, depending on whether they are in person or over video, the audience and the stories being told. They may involve costumes and props, or they may not. They may involve bits and pieces of music here and there, or none at all. They may include a potpourri of stories or revolve around a topic, theme or genre which binds the stories together.

Our purpose in providing the following comparison is not to suggest one is better than the other, only that they are different. The Fourth Wall is a theatrical term for the imaginary “wall” that exists between actors on stage and the audience. In storytelling there is no wall separating the storyteller from the audience. Storytellers interact with their audience. Storytellers are connected with their audience. They keep the fourth wall removed. Actors have a script to follow. However, a great storyteller never tells a story the same way twice. Storytellers are flexible enough to adapt the story to each audience. Moreover, they have a wide repertoire to draw upon, they can select the right story for the right audience and can move beyond their repertoire if the occassion demands it. An actor gives life to a character. A storyteller's goal is to give life to a story. A storyteller may alternate between being the narrator and playing a character. They may move from being the narrator to being a character, then back to narrator again, then to a different character. A story told by a storyteller is more likely to present the different points of view from all the different characters.

Our purpose in providing the following comparison is not to suggest one is better than the other, only that they are different. Storytellers work orally which requires flexibility and responsiveness. The story is different every time. Storytellers modify their delivery to suit the audience: an energetic 5-year-old today, a crowd of apathetic teenagers tomorrow. Too many good writers aren't good storytellers in the sense that they aren't good on stage. By the same token, too many good storytellers aren't good writers. Every now and then you get someone who is great at both art forms. There are some wonderfully talented storytellers who are Dyslexic or have ADD/ADHD and do not perform to their best in written form but when they tell stories they are a real force. They create magic on stage with their energy, their words, their voice, their face and their stance. There are authors who are introverts and don't know how to rock the crowd but they are brilliant on the page. Different art forms attract different personalities.

Our purpose in providing the following comparison is not to suggest one is better than the other, only that they are different. Audience participation: In storytelling, listeners are encouraged to join in repetitive phrases or refrains, and given the opportunity to suggest variations in certain free story elements. In story reading, participation generally involves discussing the book illustrations. Imagination development: Storytelling trains and develops the imagination more than story reading, because there are no book illustrations. Body language: The storyteller usually uses more gestures, expressions and whole body movements than the story reader. The story reader's eyes are busy reading the words and their hands are busy holding the book. Eye Contact: With a book, focus is on the text and illustrations. The story reader is bound by the book and the text and occasionally looks at the listeners. Without a book, the children look at the teller and the teller looks at the children. This increased interaction, through eye contact, makes the experience more personal. Listening skills: Storytelling also provides an opportunity to experience the difference between listening quietly and listening actively. The essence of active listening is interest. The listener's interest must be conveyed to the storyteller by using both verbal and non-verbal messages such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, engaging in call and response with the storyteller, participating by answering / asking questions and by agreeing or disagreeing with the storyteller. Stories: Many stories cannot be found in books! Many (hi)stories are not in books, but in peoples' heads, generating a collective memory of stories.

Very carefully and very thoroughly! There is a long process that storytellers have to go through before being accepted in Dream On, may they be celebrity-status or semi-famous storytellers. The selection process involves a lot of consultation, we speak to the storytellers for details or clarification. We observe the storyteller in actual performances with school audiences. We examine the storyteller's repertoire and the messages conveyed in the stories. We ask references from schools, organizations and other storytellers. Storytellers fill in very detailed questionnaires. We won't select anyone based on their fame or their website design. We dig beyond the surface!