december story play

It's December, a month which many people associate with Christmas and - in modern times - presents.

Here in the Netherlands, even more anticipated than Christmas is Sinterklaas (5&6 December). The days' activities evolved based on legendary tales of Saint Nicholas of Myra. His habit of gift giving eventually served as inspiration for the North American figure of Santa Claus.

Both festivities are carried on through storytelling, which inspires me while I am curating our upcoming Living Stories course starting on 6 January - another significant date :-)

With each generation, stories like these turn into traditions, into legends, and round into stories again and again. What emerged thousands of years ago lives on today in new forms and contexts. These stories are still being lived in the way we convene, shop, eat, play...

We are living stories.

And we all hold a wealth of stories associated with cultural celebrations. For some, they're full of hope, coming together in generosity. For others, they carry the shadows of pain, greed and division.

Whichever combination it is for you, our memories inform how we pass them on.

Individually and collectively. 

Take this painting of an angel holding out an olive branch to an arguing cat and dog. A Christian metaphor for healing division. One may wish to tell stories that will heal the whole world; give the gift of reconciliation. Maybe in the hope that everything and everyone will be OK.

But this image can provoke a whole variety of associations.

For countless reasons.

Our collective stories are much more complex and reach further than the version that any single one of us can tell. Even this one.

There is more to this image.

More than I'm sharing here.

Much more than I can ever know.

Our stories evolve when we share our interpretations with each other; exploring commonalities and differences. We can do this in many ways: paint pictures, write newsletters, improvise scenes based on audience suggestions...

We may laugh, cry, cry with laughter...

And as we go beyond words, we may be together

in silence

and play

with all the stories that live

within, between, and through us.

Welcome to impro studio.

Come enjoy the many gifts of improvisation!

Warm wishes,

Angelina ;-)