Stories that Move: A 6-week Course of Storytelling and Dance

STORIES THAT MOVE
ABOUT
This winter, in the heart of the cold months, join us as we gather together for a thoughtful and fun journey combining storytelling and movement. Let's stay warm by moving, spinning yarns and meeting new people who share a love of verbal and nonverbal storytelling. This course is for anyone interested in developing skills as a spoken word artist while experimenting through the use of folk tales, and dancers interested in choreography and text-based work. Suggested age limit 18+
This 6-week class is co-facilitated by Storyteller Brandon Lista and Dancer/Choreographer Colleen Snell. For six Monday evenings we will train in dance, practice storytelling, and combine spoken word with dance - generating unique creative experiments each week. As we settle in to our routine, we will develop creative projects to share and informally perform for invited guests during our final class in March.
KEY DATES
This class runs on MONDAYS from 6pm-10pm (in person)
January 20, January 27, February 3, February 10, February 24 and March 3.
February 17 is off for family day
March 3rd is our sharing/performance day
CLASS STRUCTURE
6pm-6:15pm - Check in
6:15pm-7:30pm - Storytelling AND Dance Classes
Storytellers workshop their stories with Brandon Lista
As
Dancers take warm up dance class with Colleen Snell
(These are simultaneous sessions, participants choose one)
7:30pm-7:45pm
Break, Snack & Planning for Creative Session
7:45pm-9:15pm
Dancers and Storytellers work in small groups to bring a story to life through movement, (improvisation and choreography, choral speaking etc.)
9:15pm-10pm
Share works in progress, feedback, end of class check out.

PRACTICAL STUFF
This class runs at Clarke Memorial Hall in Port Credit from 6pm-10pm.
This venue is walking distance from Port Credit GO Station and is wheelchair accessible.
Please reach out to start a conversation with us if you have any questions or special requests.

Week 6 - March 3rd
Invited sharing of works in process from 8:30-9:30pm

ABOUT BRANDON

Brandon Lista (he/him) is a storyteller, educator, and community animator. He has a passion for telling folktales from around the world, and dabbles in the odd personal tale. With a background in engineering and education he believes that storytelling is the key to help problem-solvers see the world a little more wholistically, and remind all of us that we have more in common than we do different.

ABOUT COLLEEN
Colleen is obsessed with storytelling; it shows in her multidisciplinary practice. She's an educator, dramaturge, world builder, placemaker, fight director, and sound designer - but she's most passionate about movement and dance as a vehicle for human expression. Colleen is the Artistic Director of Frog in Hand, a dance company she cofounded. For over 10 years she has devised and performed with Frog in Hand, generating cultural capital in her hometown of Mississauga and advocating for contemporary dance in a suburban setting. Colleen's choreography incorporates large, ensemble casts and themes inspired by science fiction. Her site-specific work has appeared in a brew pub, rowing club, arena, factory, sawmill, gym, and splash pad - as well as more "traditional" educational institutions and stages across Canada (like Springboard Danse, the Guelph Dance Festival, York and Metropolitan University).

As a dancer, Colleen most recently worked with TranscenDance Project on their 2024 immersive "Eve of Saint George" production, telling the story of Dracula across three entire floors of The Great Hall in Toronto.

Host or Publisher Frog in Hand