Korskrogen-Sweden

Report of meeting and workshop in Korskrogen 24th May – 28nd May 2012

Thursday 24 th May - Monday 28th May
Tutors and trainees met at Hörrgård, a farm outside Korskrogen in Hälsingland to participate in three intense days of workshops, storytelling and discussion. Kersti Ståbi from Fabula Storytelling facilitated the meeting, and tutors from all countries told the group stories and/or lead sessions. Both tutors and trainees participated equally in exercises and discussions they did not lead themselves.

Thursday 24th
After long journeys through airports and the Swedish countryside, all tutors and trainees arrived at Hörrgård. Practical arrangements where presented over a late dinner.

Friday 25th
The tutors had a short meeting in the morning to go over the program, and then tutors and trainees gathered in the morning sun. We wanted to benefit from the earlier meetings and soon catch the process where we left it. So we started with watching a film from these meetings, and repeated some of the exercises that had been particularly appreciated in them.
· Film from earlier meetings, presented by Georgios Evgenikos, Greece.
· “The stone wall” Norse myth told by Peter Hagberg, Sweden.
· Repeating the story in small groups to learn it.
· Physical warm up run by Paola Balbi and Davide Bardi, Italy. Directions, elements, body.
· Imitating names and language, facilitated by Kersti Ståbi, Sweden.
· Translation exercises facilitated by Kersti Ståbi. The group where divided into couples, and each couple prepared telling “The stone wall” with translation according to a set of instructions from a note. Then the couples got together and formed three groups in which they performed their translated story. Afterwards the groups discussed.
· Gathering in plenum, in which everybody gave a reflection
· “The birth of Hermes” Greek myth told by Sylvia Venizelea, Greece.

Saturday 26th
The tutors had a breakfast-meeting about the program. Then everybody continued with developing the translation exercises and singing and voice work via imitation. Stories where also told during the day.

· Legend told by Michael Harvey, UK.
· Physical warm up run by Agnes Branting and Amanda Glans, Sweden.
· Folk singing, lead by Kersti Ståbi, Sweden.
· Continuation Translation exercises from Friday, facilitated by Kersti Ståbi.
· “Kasha and the devil” told by Jarek Kaczmarek, translated by Agnieszka Aysen Kaim, Poland
· Repeating “Hermes” or “Kasha and the devil” in new couples to learn them.
· Translation exercises, in couples forming three groups, working with very little preparation time before telling the others in the small group. Instructions to use all skills and tricks one wants, and to be brave. Then discussion in the small group.
· Gathering in plenum, in which everybody gave a reflection
· Story told by Sarah Rundle, UK
· Feast with singing and dancing, a short concert by the fiddler Björn Ståbi and Kersti Ståbi, and out door games until early hours.

Sunday 27th
The tutors had a breakfast-meeting about practicalities for the next meeting. Then everybody worked with the process of feeding back, and heard a lot of stories and storytelling.
· Muslim legend told by Agnieszka Aysen Kaim, Poland.
· Physical warm up, singing, calling, by Kersti Ståbi, Sweden.
· The participants choose between two classes. 1. How to give and take feed back when working with storytelling, lead by Mickael Harvey, UK. 2. Applying work with the four elements on stories and receiving feedback from Paola Balbi, Italy.
· Gathering in plenum, in which everybody gave a reflection
· Written evaluation in groups / Planning of meetings to come
· Story told by Davide Bardi, translated by Paola Balbi, Italy
· Story told by Georgios Evgenikos, translated by Nafsika Kapsala, Greece
· Barbeque by the river Ljusnan

Monday 28th
Travel home early in the morning.

Outcome
The general impression after both oral and written evaluations is that the meeting was successful in several ways. The experimenting around translation and bilingual communication concerns and interests the participants, and many expressed that new knowledge and insights have come out of it. Also the less experimental sessions, those where the participants where taught or lead by a tutor were highly appreciated.

In the final round many expressed great sympathy and care for the others. There was also a slight surprise over the fact that the people in the project had become so close. Many thought it was good for the project to have a meeting where we had three solid days to work, without other events going on, and where we all could stay together at the same place.