Okanagan Folk School Hosts
Story Slam
By
Denise Miller
What’s Your Story?
Circa 2005 at a local cafe that specialized in live music in Edmonton, I first discovered The Story Slam. I was told it was a clone of Poetry Slams popular in
New York. I was hooked and attended the monthly events every chance I got. Authors and storytellers with varying skills would sign up and get 5 minutes to
read or tell their original story. The Slam grew in popularity to the point where there was no room inside and in the summer folks would listen through the
windows. A solo guest would be guided to the Lonely Hearts table because they couldn’t spare a table for just one. Each story was scored out of 10 by volunteer judges. A hat was passed during the intermission and at the end. The audience showed their appreciation of
great stories. Winners often took home a few hundred. For many emerging authors and spoken word artists it was a great prize. Their stories carried us away. We had a couple of retired ministers, and being great speakers with amazing life (and death) experiences, they were always popular. There were family stories both hilarious and shocking. There were riveting stories of war and other worldwide experiences. A friend of mine told a story of a fictitious town and an amazing thing that had happened there. He was so believable that
I heard a listener at the next table say they had heard of that town and the event in the news!
I loved hearing the stories of nervous first timers. How they had written and rewritten their story inspired by someone's bravery the month before. It was great to hear the buzz when a favourite would walk in the door. Probably the first time they had fans! We’d all be hoping they had arrived in time – only the first 10 to sign up and pay $5 would be heard. Here in Peachland there’s a different way we tell stories. Someone will sit beside me on a park bench and after chatting for a few minutes we’re exchanging our favourite stories. Someone will start to talk as we stand on the bridge over the creek and soon I’m hearing amazing fishing stories. I know
there are so many great stories here in my town that I’m missing! I was promoting the idea of the story slam at the craft show of the Mural Festival. I gathered a list of folks interested in learning more. So let’s create a
place to share our stories, to inspire storytellers, authors, and spoken word artists by our appreciation. Let’s grow it to be our own style of story slam. The
Okanagan Folk School is offering this opportunity, right here at Our SPACE.
We’ll start out simple and see how it goes. I can’t wait to hear your stories!
​Denise has entertained thousands of listeners of all ages with performance storytelling around family, history, geology, geography, legends, and mythology.
Storytelling was a natural part of the work she did while teaching curriculum programming and outdoor pursuits to youth at various educational facilities
from 1985 to 2001. Her professional storytelling work began in 1996. She has told stories to thousands of listeners at many hundreds of schools, libraries,
conferences, and at various locations; such as trains over the Rockies, white water rafts, cruise ships, canoes, campfires, hay wagons, and several
countries around the world.
Okanagan Folk School
Story Slam Guidelines
​
1. There is a door charge of $10 per adult and $5 per child. 50% goes to
O.K.F.S. and 50% as a prize to the winning teller.
2. Up to 10 readers can tell their story. We will draw names for the teller
order. Tellers must sign up at the Story Slam - the first 10 people to sign
up will tell their story.
3. Doors will open at 5:30 for seating and signing up as a teller. We will go
from 6 - 8 pm. and plan to offer wine and a snack for sale.
4. There will be 5 volunteer audience judges (a group can do it). Judges
will give points from 1 to 10. The lowest score and highest score are
eliminated. Then we add up the three middle scores. Only one decimal
point allowed, for ease of adding. (eg: 6.5) Please be kind - we will likely
be amateurs for the most part.
5. Be respectful with language and topic - This is a family event. You can
tell or read an original story or anecdote from your life, your imagination,
or one you have written. All motifs and genres are acceptable.
6. You can read from a script, or just tell a story. The story must be
original, unpublished, and not a repeat.
7. You have 5 minutes to tell your story. After 5 minutes, there is a .5 point
penalty for every 10 seconds you go over. After 10 minutes, there is a
bell chime to stop.
8. No props allowed. There is a piano that can be used as a part of a story
only.
9. The donation hat will be passed at intermission and after all the stories
are told, before the winner is announced. These donations go directly to
the winning teller’s prize!