An invitation to Play with Your Story, engage in Word Dancing

In these challenging times, I have decided to re-issue my Word Dancing Challenge. As we are having trouble with seeing what happens tomorrow, let us play today. Based on the book Playing with Stories: Story Crafting for Writers, Teachers and Other Imaginative Thinkers ( Parkhurst Brothers), I developed a series of exercises that involved a practice I call "Word Dancing."

I offer this to all those who simply want to play with a story and build it up using play. All you need is an idea for a story and then engage in as many exercises that you can when they are posted.

I would love to hear from you and how you used or expanded the exercises. I offer them during this crazy time. We can find comfort in play and we are building a stronger story to tell for a later time or even now.

We can all use stronger stories. I will post them on the blog. Please sign up on the blog to stay updated.

The first video here is an introduction.

The second is sharing about the work. The third shared the first thing to do before the first exercises. Exercises will follow, one per week, providing time to complete them and even play with them again. Feel free to work with a partner. (However, not a group over 10).

Here is an introduction video.

In these exercises, you will see how I use the same story idea in the all the exercises. You will see how I develop new directions for the story. I examine the story of "Little Red Riding Hood," but what if the wolf was a bully? (He is, but we develop this idea more.)

I hope you enjoy the Word Dancing exercises and you too become a Word Dancer. Give yourself "Permission to Play" and join with me as we develop a story from an idea to exploring new and powerful directions with play.

I hope this brings you comfort and a reminder that your stories are powerful and a way to shelter us from any storm. They bring warmth when told well.

Play on! See you on the Playground as we Word Dance together.

Feel free to comment on other ways you use play or how you are developing with the Word Dancing exercises. (A note: This work is aimed for those who work with story and is a way for me to give back to these story crafters since so many helped me. It is also a difficult time for them because of many of their story-based work has been cancelled or postponed. I have charged for these services and others have as well. However, during this time, it simply makes sense to give and not expect compensation. However, hearing how you use the exercises does provide to a rich conversation. Please do support artist services and recognize the value of their services and consider investing in the practice. For this,. my value is in also learning from you. )