TaPS MASTER CLASS RESOURCE PACK: Mama Yeye
by Olori Oriyami
June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack Master Class: “Mama Yeye” by Olori Oriyomi
Egbe Ekuijo "African Theatre, Movement and Storytelling"
Master Class Overview
The workshop is an introduction to West African theatre, movement, music and
storytelling that can be applied in the classroom
Discussions
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Why African Theatre?
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Guidelines on using movement, music and stories from African Diaspora.
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Developing a solution through the process of empowering the whole community.
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How can drama be used in other social settings to empower, illuminate and bring
development and change?
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Brainstorm the types of places and settings where this might be possible.
Yoruba Culture/ World Cultures
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The Language of Rhythms/ Music
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The Language of Movement
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Preserving the richness of Your Own Culture as a base of context.
Planning into action
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Working in groups participates choose a story they are involved in or could
initiate on their return home.
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As a group, develop a base language in movement and rhythm
Including the community, developing ideas and plans to include the entire
community in the project.
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Let's Move! General physical genre of African base movements, dance style and
techniques
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Present the challenge, choices and outcomes thru active performing.
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack __________________________________________________________
African Dance
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Begin on the Rhythm, End on the Rhythm( Break)
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Every Dance tells a Story
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Drummers play to communicate not noise.
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All people participate in the community. The stage is extends to the audience.
African Dance Vocabulary
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Akimbo- hands on hips; elbows out
Call/break - a short measure of beats played to signal STOP, GO or CHANGE
Isolation- to separate; to set apart from whole body
Polyrhythmic - carrying two-three rhythms in the body at once
Technique- a study or style of dance performed by a specific ethnic group
Books
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Aesop Fables
A Treasury of Afro American Folklore - Harold Corlander
African Folktales of the New World- William Bascom
The Theatre of Africa - Lee Warren
African Theatre Today - Martin Banham
Yoruba Trickster Tales - Oyekan Owomoyale
Essential African Mythology - Mbitu and Prime
Stories To Solve, Folktales from Around the World- George Shannon
The Yoruba of South Western Nigeria - William Bascom
Musical
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"Sound of Thunder" The Heritage Drummers
"Drums of Passion" Babatunde Olatunji
"Authentic Afro Rhythms" www.kimboed.com
"World Music Adventure" www.putumayo.com
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack 5. "Festival of Deities" Chief Bolu Fatumise (Nigeria)
Yoruba Language/Vocabulary
1. Ago- Calling for Attention Ami(Aamay) - You have it (Ghanaian)
2. Ekabo - Welcome Daa daa - Fine/ok
3. Ekaro - Good Morning Ekale - Good Evening Odabo-Goodbye
4. Baba - Father Iya -Mother Bee'ni - Yes
5. Bata - drum or shoe Joko - Sit Rara, o - NO
6. Okuurin- Man Dide - Stand Abi? - Understand
7. Obirin - Woman Adupe- We Thank you
8. Gele- Head wrap Fila – Hat
9. Omo -Child Modupe- I Thank you Ile - House Ejo - dance Ade - Crown
10. Buba - Shirt Sokoto - pants Iro - Skirt (Lappa
11. Dundun-Talking drum Sekere-beaded gourd Agogo-Bell( timekeeper)
Yoruba Numbers
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Okan (1) Efa(6)
Eji (2) Ejo(7)
Eta(3) Eje(8)
Erin(4) Esan(9
AArun(5) Ewa(10)
Intensive Work and Study
Book/Play - Death and the King's Horseman - Wole Soleyinka
"Plays from the World Stage: Death and the King's Horseman
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2009 Tudor Guild by Nan Christensen
www.osfashland.org
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Practitionerʼs pathway
I am a dancer, first, who happens to love Theatre.
1980ʼs
Curious participants were coming to my classes every week twice a week without
fail. People from almost every age, race and cultural background shared one common
goal; to learn the basics of West African dance. Way before You tube, Zumba and Drum
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack circles, we met in the basement of a church to simply learn without being judged based
on color, religion or age.
What I found was a flux of professors, college graduates; retired educators who
always wanted to try but were afraid to enter into the circle. In the late 80's you had
rarely seen diversity in African dance classes. To cut a long story short, after teaching
for several years I developed a need to present the results to the community. In other
words, all God's children got rhythm. The under current was the prejudice and criticism
and I fought daily just because of the diversity and growing strength of the class. I
started with 5 students, which quickly grew to 40 to 50 students each time we met in
class. Our children played together. We began to meet and eat together outside the
class. Drummers included husbands and females in the circle to drum during classes.
The Power of a healing word after every class ensured the congregation's return with
new passion and hunger for more. We also had a very diverse level of issues with
income, age, language, challenges, social and political genres. Once they hit the
threshold they knew to leave the outside and could, if ever needed, ask for and receive
support. We'd all chime in together and love of humankind would always overshadow
whatever
problem
was
presented.
Lifetime
friendships
were
built.
One evening, fed up, sleepless and creative, I picked up a microphone and
began to record a flow of emotions that told a story, we are now called RAIN “Rain does
not fall on one Roof alone." Three hours later, my Ori (head) had created a story based
on the African Diasporic world of Proverbs that addressed our current issues,
challenges
and
characteristics
of
everyday
life.
Afterwards, it promoted me to create a format to teach others how to use
resources found in theatre, music and dance to assist/ teach/ resolve as a group.
African Theatre through story telling does the same.
West Africa Storytelling
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Telling techniques are built throughout childhood.
After Dinner, people gather around the central part of a compound or village.
Storytelling becomes a part of the Social life or recreational entertainment.
Listening or Telling is vital to promote customs, cultural beliefs, religious
influences, and moral code.
Storytelling happened within a community setting without consistent contact with
the modern whole. However technology has now changed these dynamics but
the access to sharing with one another through technology is positive.
Story will always be a better form of entertainment with instruction.
Human touch heals and human voice consoles.
Human experience that embraces all peoples everywhere.
African Theatre/ storytelling moves through a rhythm of life.
It is a living, organic oral tradition which includes everyone in the moment.
Narrative, acting, drumming and song are instrumental tools
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack Tips
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Choose interesting, short stories
Prepare by reading out loud and rehearsing
Use words your audience understands
Explain words your audience doesn't understand
USE ESP! Enthusiasm, sensitivity and personality
Facial expression and Body Movements
Vocal variety by changing tones, pitch, inflection, and tempo to suit the story
Make eye contact but don't stare
Use humor when appropriate
Use props and costumes to enhance not to overshadow a weak presentation
Pause before and after important ideas so listeners can THINK!
Build up the climax
Create an atmosphere of “once pond a time"
Enjoys sharing the story with your audience.
StoryTelling for ErʼBody!
Guidelines in General Review
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Storytelling is an Oral Art
Yoruba Culture is based on oral traditions
Everyone knows a story. (i.e. Aesop fables, nursery rhymes which are familiar to
all ages)
Speaker is the Teller
A Story has a structure. Beginning, Middle and End.
Begin – identify the problem
Middle – sequence of events
Climax – exciting parts
End – wrapping up, proverbs and conclusions
Main Idea is to identify the parts and its order
Wisdom is choosing the “right” story
Stories should fit you like a glove
THINK HUMOR, ACTION, and DRAMA
There is no harm in using stories found in your Local Library
Tools
1. Characters/characteristics
2. Sharing events with sound and visual image
3. Captivate the audience
4. Entertain
5. Convey information
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack 6. Teach a lesson
7. Persuade listeners to take action in some way.
Tellersʼ Techniques
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Tone Usage
Animated Sounds
Gestures
Digital sounds or musical instruments
Tellerʼs Checklist
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Humor
Emotional responses
Eye contact
Now that you have a story
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READ IT OUT LOUD. It helps develop ideas for presentation
Remember: Not all stories are appropriate for all Audiences
Avoid memorizing stories Word for Word
Good Choices come from Oral traditions. Why? They have been told and refined
for countless generations
ORAL Tradition
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Fairy Tales
Folktales
Legends
Tall tales
Fables – short stories with word lessons
Myths- made up to explain why things are in nature,
Customs and institutions
Literary Stories are NOT ORAL
Now Think About the Bare Minimum
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Beware or Avoid stories with dialects. You could possibly offend others and you
donʼt want anyone to feel disrespected or as though you are making fun of them.
Have students make a list or a story board
Incorporate lessons in history, math geography
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack •
Key elements of knowing parts of the story will help the students understand the
story enough to tell it. Use key words to identify characters or the characteristics
of the story.
Code of Ettiquette
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Encourage Respect. You deserve it while telling so give it back while listening.
Listen Politely, extend Kindness and be considerate of others.
Always get permission to share other peopleʼs story.
Folklore and Folktales are owned by ALL.
Always give credit to the source of your story and avoid plagiarism.
METHOD for LEARNING a STORY
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Read story frequently in the mirror.
Copy It
Draw a picture of it. Story Board or map. Images work better sometimes than
words
Tell the story in YOUR OWN WORDS
Practice telling your story to objects (i.e. teddy bear) rather than live group of
people first.
Read it into a tape recorder and listen to it over and over and over again
TEACHERS
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Coach your Tellers
Eliminate FEAR
Add impact to instruction with encouragement
Give feedback
Storytelling is an art where there are many styles that are appropriate
Always give positive feedback.
Have a list of positive encouraging word for students
Eye contact
Itʼs ok to encourage props, sound, visual tools and/or pictures
Improve and uplift the tellerʼs upfront skills
NONOS
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Put downs, laughing/giggling
What can the Teller do to make it better?
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta
TaPS Master Class Resource Pack •
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Never turn your back to your audience
Some believe storytelling is not Theatre.
Donʼt act out the Play
Donʼt flail your arms
Donʼt stare down your audience
Frigidity mannerisms
Watch out for listening hecklers. What do you do? Change the pace. Tone details
or summarize quickly.
YES! Do That!
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Projection
Clear Speech
Proper enunciation
Body Movement
Develop your Characters
Sound Effects
Mood /Tone
Poise
Memory
Timing/Rate/ Speed – choose a variety of speeds to fit the mood.
It's Personality that makes a story vital and alive.
Story telling is an oral narrative Art form.
Posture and voice enhances the story
Choose parts of the story which are important and appropriate things when
adding movements. A distraction is when movement is uncomfortable for teller
and overdone. Some believe you should not move any more than 3ft. simply
donʼt pace.
Stuck? Simply Summarize
Last Thoughts
What is your reason for telling your story?
Will it meet the need of the Listeners?
Mama Yeye
© Olori Oriyomi June 2012, Atlanta