Beverly Cottman

Beverly Cottman is a multi-disciplinary performance artist exploring the intersections of movement, music, theater and visual art. As the storyteller Auntie Beverly, she tells stories to children and adults in venues as varied as birthday parties, library story-times and business conference retreats. She uses tales of the African Diaspora to impart knowledge, explore cultural history, and teach positive values. Beverly has collected and studied stories from all over the world. She has researched the oral traditions of African and African American folk tales, fables, songs and dances. Her artistic goal is to use storytelling and other artistic disciplines to educate and inspire audiences about African and African American history, culture, and heritage. She encourages individuals to heed their internal creative call and tell their own stories using any and all disciplines.

Workshop Description

A workshop or residency with Auntie Beverly will consist of stories, poems, songs, and movement related to In The Spirit of Being by Hannibal Lokumbe. During interactive sessions, students will be guided in creating the narrative for a storytelling performance based on the themes of personal identity, struggle and perseverance, metamorphosis and change, and the meaning of peace. Theater arts activities and storytelling techniques such as body movements, voice dynamics and facial expressions will be used to infuse academic instruction with creative expression. Students will have the opportunity to share their creativity with classmates.

To Prepare Students

• Read/discuss the “Profile – Hannibal Lokumbe: Touching Lives Through Music and Education” on p. 66
• Listen to songs from the WITNESS Companion CD
• Participate in a classroom discussion on the idea of “peace” (See
  the activity “Creating a Peace Journey: Who, What, Where, When, How, Why?” on p. 137)

Please Note:

Beverly prefers to work with no more than three classes per day. Please move desks to provide open space for movement.