Directory of members
Dinny Biggs
My previous career as a classroom teacher and community coordinator in downtown east Toronto, built my experience with families and newcomers of all ages and backgrounds to connect with storytelling. I continue to apply storytelling not only as best practice in pedagogy, but also as influential for family and community engagement. I encourage oral tradition by building my skill as a story listener and in particular, to hear stories previously dismissed, unheard or hidden. I am myself, an emerging storyteller and experienced arts supporter.
dinnybiggs@gmail.com
Volunteer Director: Storytellers of Canada-Conteurs du Canada
2015 to 2019
Workshop Coordinator: Storytelling with Seniors
Storytelling Toronto 2016 – 2017
I helped organize two workshops, a full day symposium and public online resource on healthcare with examples of storytelling involving seniors. I continue to explore applications of oral storytelling in response to current research on brain stimulus for dementia patients listening to and telling stories.
Video about project on the Storytelling Toronto website as 'Memories into Stories'
http://storytellingtoronto.org/memoriesintostories/
Project Coordinator: Village of Storytellers
StorytellingToronto, 2012 – 2015
Over four years, I invited Regent Park community partners and residents as advisors to help shape over 20 storytelling circles in schools and community centres with children, youth, adults and seniors working with professional storytellers. Each group met once a week over 6 to 8 weeks. The projects included participants telling their stories at community events and some, later on stage at the Toronto Storytelling Festival.
The experience demonstrated oral traditions around the world and how stories 'travel' and matter when told out loud. Collected testimonials from project participants and audiences reinforced the impact of oral storytelling to support social inclusion, cultural competency and community engagement.
Video about project in archives of Storytelling Toronto as ‘Village of Storytellers’
Coordinator of Festival Volunteers
Toronto Storytelling Festivals 2010 – 2015
This was intense, but exciting work each year with over 50 volunteers recruited to manage supports for artists and audiences at a variety of storytelling events over ten days of programming and in multiple venues for the annual, international Toronto Storytelling Festival through Storytelling Toronto.