General Interest Articles from our 2003 Grapevine Newsletter
From Our President • The State of Northlands • Impressions From a Northlands First Timer - Youth Voices History
A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT
John Walsh
I'm a businessman and on top of that, I am not a "hugger." So I knew this place was strange when someone came up and gave me a hug. I neglected to tell people that I was going to stay in the background and observe. A woman introduced herself to me and then proceeded to introduce me to several other folks. I was amazed at the wide diversity of the people attending this conference. There were full-time storytellers, business people, librarians, schoolteachers, students, full-time storytellers, pastors, doctors, actors, attorneys, religious teachers and full-time storytellers. On top of that, they had full-time professional storytellers.
I found it fascinating that I could not tell who was who, because they were all gathering for one purpose: to improve their ability to tell stories. In that way, they were all equal. They all planned to use stories in different ways and for different reasons. I was told that there were no "stars" that we were all required to bow and to look up to. I thought, "Yeah, right! There are always stars, and they always want be honored and be given the most important place."
To my amazement, I was wrong! I found out that the board (and organization as a whole) works hard at making sure everyone is given equal treatment and opportunity. Oh, there are mentors galore. But they are people who personally help others who want help.
It took me awhile to get used to all of this. Well, probably about five minutes! I was accepted just as I was, even though they thought me a little strange.
The next year I again attended the Northlands Storytelling Conference. As I was talking to a group of storytellers, it suddenly dawned on me. I sat up, "That's it! I finally got it!"
They turned to me and said, "Got what?"
I just looked at them, "I'm not a duck!!!!!"
That confirmed it for them. They now had proof of how strange I was.
"No, no, listen to me. All my life I have tried to fit in with ducks. I tried to waddle like a duck, quack like a duck, and walk in nice straight rows. But, but, but, I'm not a duck. I'm a swan!"
They looked at me and said, "Of course John, you have always been a swan. Are you just now finding that out?"
That revelation made all the difference; I am no longer an ugly ducking. I am a swan. I still live in a duck's world, but I know where I can go to reassure myself of my true identity, Northlands Storytelling Conference. There I can spread my wings and glide around the pond and everyone thinks it is great and natural.
Now don't get me wrong. We love ducks. They keep us in line and help us get things done. Our business manager, Karen Wollscheid, is a Ms Super Duck. She vows she will never get up and tell a story in front of us, but we love her dearly and rely on her "duckliness."
And then there are all those spouses who are ducks. They come to our conference and look around and say to their own personal swan, "Oh, my! There are a whole lot of people just like you."
A lot of ducks like to attend our conference, just to see us spread our feathers, and glide around the pond, hoping that someone is watching. Oh, we love ducks; we just can't be one of them.
Well, enough of this. Come! You will be welcome - no matter your background, beliefs, occupation, or reason to tell stories.
Oh yes, DUCKS ARE ALSO WELCOME!
FROM A FIRST-TIMER
John Kirk
As one who had attended academic conferences for nearly forty years (I was a college professor), I found the Northlands Conference refreshingly friendly and informal. I was used to academic conferences, which have so many self important people running around trying to impress everyone. This conference seemed so relaxed and informal. I felt very welcome even though I was a newcomer.
My wife, Peg, and I had many pleasant conversations with storytellers. From time to time John Walsh would point out that we had been talking to a well-known professional storyteller, but I wouldn't have known that from the interaction. Everyone was so "down-home" friendly.
I was fascinated to see all the different styles and brands of storytelling in the workshops and performance events. Yet they all seemed to listen to each other with respect and genuine enjoyment.
One final memory that will stay with me: I was in the hotel lobby when a middle-aged lady approached me and said, "It's true. You are Dr. Kirk!" She was, she reminded me, a student from nearly thirty years ago. I remembered her vividly as a lovely and talented young theatre student. She said, "I'll never forget the story you told in Introduction To Theatre class at Illinois State." And she reminded me of the story. It was then I realized that I had been a storyteller all my life, but I didn't really know it until I got involved with the Twin City Tale Spinners a couple of years ago.
We certainly plan to attend other conferences.
THE STATE OF NORTHLANDS-2003
Mike Mann, Past President
This past year your Northlands board accomplished the following:
1. Published the first Northlands Journal. Special thanks to Kevin Strauss, Karen Wollscheid and all those who submitted articles.
2. Used a new evaluation system developed by our business manager, which allowed us to be efficient, logical and fair with the 70 proposals that were received for the conference.
3. Re-instated the Grants and Loans with new accessible language and procedures, because it is one thing to say you have grant money and quite another to make it available.
4. Awarded 3 grants, one to the new Twin Cites Storytelling Festival, one to the new Children's Festival of The Illinois Storytelling Festival and one to the new storytelling stage of the Woodstock Folk Festival.
5. Chose to send 4 apprentices through the NSN apprentice program to the National Conference in Chicago.
6. Formed a Staff Support Committee and established an ongoing process by which the Northlands board and the business Manager can evaluate our working relationship.
7. The new finance committee turned the focus of the board to the future with ideas for new and diversified sources of income and use of a budget process.
8. Encouraged and connected Northlands members' active involvement in the National Conference.
9. Produced the Sunday Concert "A Taste of The North Lands" for the National Conference in Chicago.
10. Produced the 20th Anniversary Northlands Conference.
11. Conducted three benefit storytelling concerts, raising hundreds of dollars at each of the board meeting sites for local charitable organizations.
YOUTH VOICES: A BRIEF HISTORY
Colleen Shaskin
Back in August of 2001 the Northland's Board was in a planning session for the annual spring conference and the topic of conversation, once again, turned to the fact that our board as well as our membership was not getting any younger.
As I looked around I had to admit, there was "snow on several rooftops", including my own and a dramatic lack, that is to say, not much more than a ring of "snow" on top of others.
I said, "We should offer a youth storytelling contest to attract younger people to our organization.
Someone responded, "But there isn't time. Maybe next year."
I have to tell you, this topic had been tabled on several other occasions. When you tell this persnickety old woman she can't do something that she believes is good and needed, you may as well be telling an eagle not to fly; the eagle wouldn't listen, nor would I.
I said, "Yes we can do it this year! Just watch me do my best to make it happen."
And so the First Annual Youth Voices Contest was set on course. We sent the word out asking for submissions. A committee listened and voted on our top choices, from a dozen or so submitted stories. We made a few adjustments to the rules we set out and accepted five winners, not just four, mostly due to the fact that we had five outstanding submissions, and the time we needed to fit in five tellers. Those five tellers delivered their stories on Saturday morning, April 27th, and our audience gave them a standing ovation. A standing ovation occurred again this year on Saturday, April 26th when five more new voices created an exceptionally fine concert.
Looking back, I regret that I did not produce a program list with photos for our first year. Tina Rohde came to the rescue this year and produced a program list for this year's concert. The selection committee once again accepted five tellers as winners, but just four stories, as one was told in tandem by a sister team, Amber and Misty Saskill. This dynamic duo and the other youth we selected came through again with clean, crisp, entertaining, engaging, and humorous, well delivered stories, to make this one of the highlights of the conference.
When asked, "How has your experience in the Northland's Youth Voices Contest been for you, Julia Newell, one of this year's participants responded; "I've been having a terrific time at Northlands, due largely to the overwhelming friendliness of everyone I've met. People have been so welcoming and willing to share their knowledge and encouragement. I can't wait to come back!"
When we asked Julia how we might attract more young people to storytelling she said, "Keep up the good efforts you've done so far, I think. Things like Youth Voices and the Apprentice Challenge are really encouraging. I loved getting the chance to perform and have support from everyone at Northlands. I'm also really looking forward to being an apprentice at Nationals and having a mentor. I hope the publicity for these events increases, and that it pulls in more new tellers. Thanks for being so supportive and encouraging. It has really helped me on my storytelling journey, and I'm having a terrific time."
Another note that makes me extremely happy with the results of our Youth Voices program is that one of last year's participants became a workshop presenter at this year's conference, Kindra McGrane presented "Once Upon A Time to Happily Ever After" which was well received by our storytelling community.