Jan is Jan Fields, moderator of this interview with Dianne de Las Casas, and Web Editor of the ICL Web Site. Green shows names or usernames of people and the questions they asked Dianne.

Jan: Welcome to SPECIAL GUEST CHAT: "Storytelling" with Dianne de Las Casas! I'm so glad for the folks who've come tonight to ask questions of our vibrant speaker -- I think you'll find she's as fun in chat as she is in person. And welcome, Dianne -- I'm so glad you're here.

Dianne: Thank you! I'm glad to be here! I am honored to be a speaker for ICL

Jan: And we're lucky to have you...can you tell us a bit about what a "storyteller" does...I think some folks were a little confused.

Dianne: That is a common question I get. As a storyteller, I do not read stories out loud. I peform stories. I have about fifteen different programs that I tour year-round. Each with its own set of stories. I dramatize stories with character faces, animated movement, sounds, voices, and audience participation. It's very theatrical.

Jan: Are the stories you perform primarily folktales?

Dianne: I perform my own retellings of folktales as well as songs, chants, poems, and original material -- a full 45-minute program. I use songs, chants, fingerplays, rhymes and narratives to bridge the stories.

Jan: I know your website says you're an INTERNATIONAL storyteller...where have you been?

Dianne: I had a military father so I lived and traveled all over the world - I lived in Hawaii, Spain, Philippines. Visited Italy, Germany, Portugal, Guam, the Bahamas, Singapore... Going to Toronto in May 2007 to present at IRA. IRA stands for International Reading Association. It's an international organization that promotes literacy in schools and libraries. It's a five day conference with keynotes, workshops, an exhibit hall. Very similar to the ALA (American Library Association) conference. At IRA, I will be presenting my "Story Fest" workshop, teaching reading comprehension through story theater. My latest international tour was this past May in the Philippines for Scholastic Books. I also do a lot of teacher and librarian training teaching... storytelling!

Jan: Ahhh...I was wondering how you do these tours -- are they often through publishers? You don't book it yourself do you?

Dianne: I book all of my work myself. It's a full-time business that keeps me very busy. In addition, I have three award-winning CDs and my third book will release next year by Libraries Unlimited.

Dianne: Barbara, there is a national organization dedicated to storytellers called National Storytelling Network www.storynet.org Each year, there is a national conference in July that rotates to different cities around the country.

Dianne: IRA is open to anyone interested in promoting literacy. It's a great conference to attend and there are TONS of publishers both US and international. I highly recommend attending any of the library or reading conferences. It's a good learning experience and teaches you how to promote your work. To learn more, check out the website http://www.ira.org

Dianne: With handmade tales, I use string, paper, napkins, bandanas, towels, even shoelaces to tell stories. With my other programs, I always use rhythm instruments from around the world. I use props minimally in my regular storytelling programs, I like audiences to focus on the stories.

Jan: Handmade tales? Could you tell me what that is...I can feel the fingers flexing on keyboards to ask about that.

Dianne: Handmade Tales: Stories to Make and Take is my book that will be out next year with Libraries Unlimited. It will teach people how to use simple items found around the house, library or classroom and turn them into stories. It will be highly illustrated with step-by-step instructions. The stories are simple enough that with practice, even kids can do them. I do a workshop of the same title.

Jan: Ohhh...cool. Can you give us a sneak peek and kind of tell us an example? Like folding paper into different shapes as you tell the story -- something like that?

Dianne: I have adapted Simms Taback's Joseph Had a Little Overcoat into a Cut and Tell. The coat turns into a jacket into a vest into a scarf into a necktie into a handkerchief and finally into a button. If you are interested, I can send Jan a .pdf and she can distribute the instructions to the chat participants. [Jan Note: Anyone who would like a copy of that .pdf -- a file that can be read with Adobe Reader, just drop an email to jan.fields@forums.institutechildrenslit.com and I'll send you a copy via email.]

Jan: Wow..handmade stories, cut-and-tells...I feel like I've entered a whole new world. This is so cool.

Dianne: I turn paper into windows with curtains into raindrops into flowers and then into a ladybug. So much fun!!!

Jan: Sounds magical!

Dianne: It's magical for audiences to see the transformations.

Jan: Speaking of magical, you look very magical in your blue dress in the photo the chatters are seeing right now. Do you choose costuming to highlight the sort of stories you're doing?

Dianne: For most of my programs, I use a "butterfly" dress like the blue one you see. For my Aloha Tales program, I wear an authentic Hawaiian muu muu.

Dianne: Yes, there are differences. With oral stories, they are more conversational. The he said, she said is often dropped when characters speak to each other because its illustrated visually. Also, some written language does not lend itself to oral storytelling. Take the Gift of the Magi, for example. While O. Henry's voice is lyrical, it is archaic and modern audiences may not understand it. It had to be adjusted slightly while keeping the integrity of the author's voice.

Dianne: Yes, I love origami. It takes quite a bit of practice to fold and tell at the same time!

Dianne: For those of you interested in hearing me tell stories, you can hear audio samples in my store at www.storyconnection.net. My website is extensive. I designed it as a resource for story lovers, parents, educators, and kids. I am a BIG promoter of literacy and I review books from PK to YA in my e-zine.

Jan: In the audience, Dona says it's the greatest website she's ever seen...just thought I would pass that one since you can't hear the audience gush.

Dianne: OMG! How cool! I write all the content but I have a professional design and maintain it.

Dianne: I specialize in performing for pre-k to eighth grade. I love preschool and elementary age audiences. Preschool for their wide eyed innocence. And elementary for their unbridled enthusiasm.

Dianne: After they are "warmed up," they do! They forget about gender and their peers once my show begins. It's all about having fun! I am what I consider a true entertainer. There is a lot of educational value but I want audiences to enjoy themselves.

Dianne: I often ask the audience questions that I know the answers to. For example, "A big holiday is coming up. I can't wait to tell EASTER stories! Are you excited about Easter?" When it's really Christmas and they all tell me, "It's Christmas!" Or something like, "How many of you have ever had a bad day? Raise your hand. This is a story about a boy who had a bad day..."

Dianne: I don't memorize my stories contrary to popular belief. I learn the outline of the story, visualize it and then tell it. I only memorize rhymes and refrains. The rest is filled in so that the story can be different each time I tell it. It's akin to a hand-woven blanket of the same pattern. The blanket is the same essentially but there are variations.

Dianne: Beginners simply lack confidence. Once you know your story, you can tell it well because your audience is always rooting for you. Especially with kids. I like to emphasize that there is no wrong way to tell a story. Everyone tells it right, in their own voice once they learn presentation skills.

Dianne: My first time telling as a "professional," I had to take THREE Immodium! *laughs* Then when the librarian took my picture with a flash, I froze like a deer in headlights. Now, I am confident in my knowledge of my stories and I realize that my audience wants to have a good time. So, I am myself and just have a great time playing with my audiences. Putting your audience before yourself helps to take the fear away.

Dianne: School audiences require special care in putting together programs. I take up to 300 at a time grouped K-2 or 3, 3-5, and 6-8 or similar combinations. I rehearse and plan my story list keeping in mind that I may have to change the game plan depending on the audience. So I have several stories at the ready within any program I do. I have now developed an internal clock that lets me know how long 45 minutes is but I still like to have a clock in front of me. NEVER go over time. Especially in schools, where schedules are tight. Kindergarteners and preschoolers like stories with rhythm, rhyme and repetition. Audience participation is fun but not complicated. Stories are also shorter.

Dianne: Never wear elastic-waisted pants and always keep your sense of humor! . I told stories at a packed library where two journalists were taking photos. A young boy in the audience grabbed at my puppet but missed and grabbed my pants instead. My pants fell to the floor. I learned a lot then. Never wear elastic-waisted pants. *Laughs*

Jan: I shall keep that firmly in mind.

Dianne: Now, I wear my butterfly dress and "underdress" wearing a tank top and shorts. Both journalists were men; I have never seen men turn so red. I turned to one of them and said, laughing, "Did you get that picture? That'll sell a lot of papers!"

Jan: Ha...bet the kids loved it though...nothing kiddies like better than a good underwear joke.

Dianne: I was Captain Underpants before Captain Underpants was!

Dianne: I gave them away as a parting gift. hahaha! Just kidding. I pulled them up as quickly as I could. Thankfully, I was wearing a long tunic shirt that covered my lacies.

Dianne: I have been telling stories professionally for ten years now. I started in 1996. I got started at my local library. I was writing stories for children and wanted a way to improve my writing. So I volunteered for Saturday story times. I did that for nearly two years. My audiences and fan base grew and the librarian told me to try it professionally. I was intrigued so I did. I haven't looked back since.

Dianne: Yes, if you travel to other countries, do not attempt the language unless you know ABSOLUTELY how to pronounce the words. I was attempting a joke in the Philippines and said a word that translated to a man's reproductive organ. Only it was the slang for it. I was mortified when they told me. The audiences was laughing when they weren't supposed to!! My client still teases me about it. I was an unforgettable performer!

Dianne: I designed my logo with my graphic artist and worked very closely with my web designer. I always know my concept and draw it out as best as I can. All of my promo material is consistent and matches my website.

Dianne: If you are performing for a large group, keep movements above the waist. Anything below will be lost to the back rows. Keep a roving eye. Scan your audience, never resting on any one person for more than three seconds unless you are role playing with them. Practice breathing from the diaphragm. This will help keep your voice healthy. Always compliment your audience on something good they did. A boisterous audience - thank you for your energy! A quiet audience - thank you for your listening skills! Thank you notes go a long way. I send a handwritten one out after every engagement. Above all, treat audiences with respect.

Dianne: Technique is difficult to demonstrate via chat. But using your whole body to tell the story is good. Character voices are wonderful. Picture this. How does a mouse sound? That is your small voice. Your middle voice is your narrator voice. How does a bear sound? That is your deep voice for larger animals or scary sounds. Use gestures only when it propels the story forward. Gesticulating too much is distracting to the audience.

Dianne: I tell a lot of folktales but retell them in my way of telling stories. I write a lot of songs, chants, and fingerplays. In my Story Connection Express newsletter, I share a new tellable story every month. I probably have about 300 stories in my telling repertoire.

Dianne: A fingerplay is a story that uses finger, hand, and body motions to portray the story, like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or "Teddy Bear Teddy Bear Turn Around."

Jan: how many times a year do you do presentations about storytelling...as opposed to those where you actually tell stories?

Dianne: I do storytelling workshops several times a year. Many at conferences. I will be at the Florida Library Association conference in April, IRA in May, Ohio Libraries in May. Alabama libraries in August and Louisiana Reading Association in November 2007.

Jan: Is this your first chat on the subject or one of many? A listerner is interested.

Dianne: I have chatted with the infamous Verla Kay and done several chats and online and teleconference workshops.

Dianne: There are some gigs where your gut says, "Don't do it." I just had one. A corporate Christmas party. Everyone was smashed. No one was in the listening spirit. Still, I had several audience members who said they loves my stories.

Jan: Plus, you kept your pants...so you were ahead of the game.

Dianne: Hahaha -- If my pants fell down at this gig, I would have been a big hit!!

Jan: It's nice to have a benchmark though...mine is always, "At least I didn't fall down or throw up. Now I'm gonna add...or lose my pants.

Dianne: I've had kids throw up and pee too. I even had a gig where a child had an epileptic seizure Oh, and don't forget the fire in the cafeteria where I was performing -- 5 firetrucks came. But the firefighters were sooo cute!

Jan: My, you do have a glamorous job...though, cute is nice.

Dianne: See, there's a silver lining in every cloud. I love the perks. Gift baskets in my hotel room. My Philippines client treated me to a four-hour spa treatment.

Dianne: Many schools have forms that are sent out where parents give permission for their image to be used. But I always ask permission first, especially in a school. You don't have to ask permission for large groups of kids in public venues like libraries. In public venues, if you post a sign that says, "This session will be videotaped or photographed. Entrance constitutes permission." You are covered.

Dianne: Stories about men's body parts...**laughs hysterically**...Seriously, I tell personal inspirational stories and folk tales and fables that have messages adults can relate to. I do that a lot at storytelling festivals where there are mixed audiences. Many adults enjoy audience participation as much as the children. The beauty about folk stories is that they contain such wisdom. That's why they have been around for so long.

Dianne: Yes, I perform for about 75,000 people a year. About 200-250 presentations.

Dianne: Sometimes, I can read 50 stories and not find one I like. Then, when I find one, I have to research other versions of the story. I don't want to violate anyone's copyright.

Dianne: Absolutely. I don't normally do it but I have in the past. I did a story of the Oregon Trail in costume and everyone loved it. The kids were even crying in the story. I think the key is to be wholly vested in your story. You have to love it. If you do, your audience will too.

Dianne: blue2, I told the story as the mother and dressed as her. Her son's best friend died of a snake bite and that is when the audience cried. But you could do several characters. The way to do it would be through easy costume pieces such as hats and aprons.

Dianne: When I do school residencies, I work in the classrooms. But this is only when I am teaching storytelling to students. My performances are for larger groups. I am not a "porch teller" but rather a performance teller.

Dianne: If your story has a universal theme, it can work for all audiences. I have some stories that require several audience members to come up and play roles, that would only work with a large audience. It's also all in the body language during the telling.

Dianne: $1000-1200 a day out of state.

Dianne: Travel expenses are separate. So it's my fee + expenses.

Dianne: In the summer, my children travel and perform with me. Two girls ages 16 and 6. I have had an intern before, yes. She worked as my office assistant in exchange for training as a storyteller.

Jan: How can storytelling help improve writing?

Dianne: Without a doubt! I know that my stories work for kids because they are kid-tested every time I perform. When you do presentations for kids, you gain a special insight into their world. That can only help you as a writer. All my stories on my CDs are polished pieces that I have performed year after year. I know they work for kids. Reviewers and awards organizations think so too. (smile)

Dianne: Amy, personal stories are great material for programs. They have to be interesting - filled with a universal message (love, kindness, redemption). Humor and drama. Characters should be interesting enough for kids to care about.

Dianne: Jump, Jiggle & Jam has folktales remixed with rhythm, rhyme and rap. Kids love it and it has the energy for a party. My troll raps. Goldie Locks is a fun rap. It's one of those CDs parents tell me they get tired of because their kids play it again and again. I love that!

Jan: So, how did working in a strictly auditory media like CD recording change your storytelling style...without facial expressions and movements to add to the stories...did you feel any difference in your style?

Dianne: To compensate for the lack of visuals, I used music and sound effects. It works very well. I tell the stories the same way - they are just augmented a little differently. I knew from seeing kids listen to audios that there had to be something to take the place of the absense of seeing me perform. I also listened to a lot of storytelling CDs and took notes. The missing element for me was the music and sound effects. I took my cue from videos and movies for kids. And old-time radio shows.

Dianne: All of my learning is trial by fire. I have never taken a children's writing course. I guess the storytelling was intrinsic partly and the other part was learned on the job. Having to polish my stories for my listening audiences really helped me to hone my story writing skills. I write down every story I perform. I have a HUGE binder full of stories!

Dianne: You can order directly from my website through PayPal or there is a printable order form. They are on holiday sale until December 15. Free gift wrapping too! Click on store.

Dianne: If you are interested in using storytelling and/or storytelling techniques, I think you should try to see a professional storyteller at work. The NSN website has a listing of storytelling events across the nation. There should be an event near you.

Dianne: I do! I love Toni Simmons, Eth-Noh-Tec, (a husband and wife tandem team from San Francisco), Diane Ferlatte, Michael McCarty, Naomi Baltuck (who has the coolest new CD out - Crazy Gibberish Too!)

Dianne: I provide my own professional sound system when I drive to venues. If I fly, I require that they provide one. It's a disservice to the audience if the storyteller is inaudible. My rule of thumb is - use professional sound if you have more than a classroom size audience. You can always turn down the volume or turn it off. But once you are at the venue and you start telling without a microphone, you are doomed if you need one! Dona, some audiences are not accustomed to face-paced drama or audience participation and they are more quiet than other audiences. I find this varies from state to state and region to region. A way to conquer this is to ask questions during the storytelling session. Refrains work well too. Enthusiasm goes a LOOOOOOONG way!

Jan: So, clearly you're a dynamic speaker...are you also very outgoing when you meet folks one on one? I mean I love public speaking, but I'm a total mumbling coward in one-on-one with folks I've just met.

Dianne: I absolutely LOVE people and make friends wherever I go. If you meet me at the bookstore, I'll be recommending books to your kids. I also do a lot of booktalks, promoting other authors' books. I was shy as a child and went through a difficult, abusive childhood. When I became an adult, I realized that life was a precious gift. So I try to share it with everyone I meet.

Jan: That's a lovely life philosophy.

Dianne: Thank you.

Jan: From the audience, someone asks: Do other authors hire you?

Dianne: I was hired by SCBWI Houston - a group of authors. I have done marketing consulting with other authors and performers. SCBWI is considering having me as a presenter for the summer conference. My presentation would be "School Visits That Rock!" I help authors develop dynamic school presentations.

Jan: One of our audience members asks if you have any favorite authors...folks whose work you really like to perform?

Dianne: I love Eric Kimmel - he gives permission. Judy Sierra too. Tomie dePaola is a personal friend but if you want to perform his work, he wants you to do it word for word. So though I love Tomie, that doesn't work for me. I'm a storyteller and I have to change things up a bit! I am in love with The Dot by Peter Reynolds. Every writer and artist should own it. Peter is a doll and I love his philosophy of fostering creativity in everyone. A Splendid Friend Indeed is a great book by Suzanne Bloom. And she is as lovely as the characters she creates. I could go on and on...I am in LOVE with children's literature. It thrills me to read it, to talk about it, to share it with others. So keep writing and give kids great stories they can take into adulthood. The stories we learn as kids are the stories we live as adults. Authors have an incredible opportunity to make such a tremendous impact. As Charlotte (Charlotte's Web) says, "The right words can change the world."

Jan: Dianne, thank you so much for sharing tonight. You're way at the top of my sweetie list now...such fun.

Dianne: Awwwwww, Jan, you are a doll! We belong to the MAS -- Mutual Admiration Society

Dianne: Thank you so much for joining in. I am honored that you stayed until the very end. If anyone has further questions we did not get to, please email me.