February Artist Spotlight: Motivational Storyteller Danielle Daniel

Hi Danielle, thanks so much for spending some time with us to tell us about the importance of storytelling and your journey to becoming a storyteller. Can you tell us a little about what your background and how you found storytelling?

I started performing in the churches at an early age—reciting poems and welcome addresses to visiting churches, and performing in school productions. When I was fourteen, I wrote an Easter play. I solicited my brothers and a few friends, and an adult cousin who was a school teacher, to be part of my program. It is interesting because no one questioned my skill or ability. I think that it was my enthusiasm that impressed the elders and the deacons of the church to grant my wish. After graduating from college, I founded a community theater group called, Crossroads Performing Art. We toured many colleges including Purdue, Northwestern, University of Kentucky, Southern University, etc. I have always loved performing and creating stories about the people I knew from my childhood. I am blessed that I get to share my art with the world as a performing artist. I do a wide variety of motivational storytelling programs and plays for schools, colleges, corporations and community organizations.

Who were some of your storytelling influences?

I became interested in being a professional storyteller in 1985, when I first heard Mattie Clark’s storytelling program on KMOJ Radio one Sunday afternoon. At that time, I had a gospel show on KMOJ, so I had the pleasure of talking with Mattie on Sunday afternoons. She was truly an amazing woman and storyteller. Prior to meeting Mattie Clark, I had never heard of professional storytelling. Mattie told me about Jackie Torrence, internationally known as “The Story Lady,” from Winston-Salem, NC. (Five years later I had the great pleasure of hearing Jackie—she was outstanding.)

During this time, I was working at Honeywell Inc. during the day and I was producing and performing in local shows at night. My sister, a media specialist, invited me to go with her to Poplarville, Mississippi to a storytelling festival. It was one of the best weeks of my life. There were storytellers from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi—I was in heaven. There were workshops and a group of diverse, fabulous storytellers—each with their own style and a wide variety of stories. At the festival I told a story at story swap. Two years later, I was invited to be a feature storyteller at the Mississippi Popularville Festival. Fortunately for me not only did I get a chance to share a story at ‘story swap’ but it was also at this festival that I learned about the National Association of Black Storytellers.

Why are stories important?

Stories are like ‘air’ and ‘water’ none of us can live without them. If you want to know about a people, listen to their stories. Every culture has their own stories. Our stories connect us to our world. Through stories, we share our passions, fears, sadness, hardships, and joys, and we find common ground with other people so that we can connect and communicate with them. When you tell a story, you spark a connection. Stories form the basis for how we think about the world and live our lives. We are automatically drawn to stories because we see ourselves reflected in them. Not only do stories intellectually and emotionally engage us, but they also physically affect us by releasing oxytocin, and are central to human cognition and communication. We interpret the meaning of life through stories and understand ourselves better. Stories also preserve culture and family history.

Stories facilitate the healing process, not only for ourselves but for those sharing our story. Engaging in storytelling can lead to higher mental stimulation, improved memory, deeper social connections and increased awareness. My brother and I toured for 17-1/2 years to different cities, villages and countries. When he died, I felt like half of me died too. Whenever I share my stories about him, many audience members want to share their experiences too. Telling our stories enables us to construct meaning from devastating events and helps repair the disruption caused by illness and death and misfortune--helping us learn about the tragedy and comedy of life and making us feel less alone, confused, and anxious by creating empathy. Storytelling can improve overall resilience and have positive impacts on our mental, psychological and emotional well-being.

Your programs often focus on African American history and culture, what do you hope participants gain or discover from these programs?

I want my audiences to know that there is more to African American history than slavery. I am proud that in spite of all the ‘horror’ African Americans have experienced, we have made and continue to make significant contributions in America. There are great writers, musicians, scientists—We have excelled in medicine, technology, etc.

I believe when we learn about each other, and listen to each other’s stories, we can help end racism. When we learn about each other, we create a place where we all feel valued, appreciated and safe. Also, it is hard for students to learn when they feel undervalued, unimportant and unsafe. When students are taught to respect and appreciate African Americans, and recognize their valuable contributions to society—they are taught to respect and appreciate people from different cultures and see them as equal. I never learned anything about my history and culture when I was in school. Unfortunately, many students in schools across America are still not being taught African American history.

My programs include a wide variety of themes, but I am most proud when I can share with my audiences the honor I feel standing on my ancestor’s shoulders. My mother and her mother were born on a plantation in Louisiana. That doesn’t make them inferior, by sharing their stories, I honor them and their struggles. I grew up during segregation and went to a two-room schoolhouse for 1st through 3rd grades. A lot of people think this happened a long time ago, but no it happened in my lifetime. I had to drink from the ‘colored only’ water fountains and bathrooms, and was not allowed to eat in restaurants, and only allowed to see a movie in the ‘colored’ movie theaters. Sharing these stories are not only educational, they are also healing. My mission is to use my creative talents and skills to educate, inspire and entertain audiences of all ages. African Americans have a vibrant and colorful history and culture and I love to share it.

What do you get out of teaching versus creating your own work? What do you enjoy the most about teaching?

I love those ‘a-ha’ moments—the sparkle in students’ eyes when they make new discoveries about themselves. Watching students move out of their comfort zone to try different approaches to writing or creative movement or developing a character for their play, is rewarding. When I see students expanding their imagination and developing their own artistic style, I feel like an eagle encouraging her babies to spread their wings and fly.

Being a teaching artist also feeds my creativity, and allows me the opportunities to try different approaches to my craft, and most importantly, to see my creative works—stories, songs, dance, and lesson plans through the eyes of a child. The exciting part of teaching is that it helps me to touch someone’s soul while teaching them to step-out-side the box. I learn a lot from students. Some of the characters from my ‘storytelling repertoire’ were redesigned based on feedback I received from students. I love how honest students are with their critiques, if they don’t like something, they will tell you. Working with students helps to keep me ‘relevant’ -- it is so refreshing to see a creative idea from students’ perspective. Teaching also helps me to stay organized, and to see the big picture, as well as the small components needed for fruition. Students will keep you on your toes. One of my greatest rewards is when my former students bring their children to my performances.

During this time of great change in Minnesota and around the world with the uprising of anti-racism work and recognition of white supremacy, how do you see the arts as fitting into that story?

The events surrounding the death of George Floyd while in police custody, have left me twirling in pain. I have identical twin grandsons born a few months before George was murdered, all I could think of was “Dear Lord, help us please, this brutality has to stop. How can I protect them?” When will the unjust actions against Black and Brown people stop? And what can I do because I know if I am in pain, our children are too. I immediately called some local artists to ask them what we can do to help ease the pain in our communities. How can we uplift our youth? Because if adults are in pain, I know our children are too.

My storytelling lesson plan includes story swap and creative writing to build empathy and understanding between diverse populations. During a Story Swap, we create a safe space to tell stories, listen to the stories of others, and build empathy for one another. It is a powerful way we can connect to the world, to ourselves, and to the human experience. Storytelling, poetry, and drama provide spaces where our students (and communities) can analyze and discuss their feelings. Art allows self-expression and a way to share your voice, feelings and perceptions. Students can openly question and critique things that are happening in their world through poetry, drama, collages, storytelling, etc. Community art provides platforms for members of our communities to express their pain and frustration; to discuss race, racism, and racial profiling and protesting—so that we are also actively moving toward cultivating our understanding of systems of oppression and marginalization. We can reflect that through text selection, assessments, projects, and discussions. Also, classroom curriculums must include Black history, not only what happened during the period of enslavement but the amazing accomplishments and achievements that go unmentioned or overlooked. Through reflection, sharing, art and creativity we can help deconstruct perceptions and emotions regarding racism and help youth share their voice on the issue.

In this time of virtual programming how are you adjusting? What do you find challenging? Any unexpected benefits?

A live performance gives me a sense of community involvement and immediate fulfilment. I can hear my audience talk back—with their moans and groans, shouts and sighs—encouraging me to take them on an exciting journal. It’s exhilarating. Most of my programs and performances include audience interaction, where adults and students often add character lines and movement or songs. And the reactions and feedback I receive from my audience lets me know if I am connecting with them. In a show in Chicago at Inland Steel Corp, during a Mahalia Jackson tribute, one of the singer’s wig fell off her head. The audience went wild with laughter. The wig falling off was not part of the performance. I didn’t know what to do, so I used the feedback from the audience and did improv until we were able to resume our show. We received a standing ovation.

Virtual performances require me to adjust to the ‘dead’ space in front of me. I have to use my imagination and pretend that the camera is a large audience. I pretend I hear them laughing out loud and asking me questions that I answer with the characters in my story. I have redesigned some stories to focus more on facial and voice movements. The benefit of doing virtual programming is the savings in time and cost of transportation. I don’t have to arrive an hour early to load and unload props, costumes, and musical instruments, and set-up and move drums, and props to the car, etc. It is truly a time saver.

Have you been working on any new projects lately?

I have been working on completing my book of short stories, and writing the last scene from my play, The Spirit of Hope. And of course, a storyteller is always working on new stories.

You’ve been on the COMPAS roster for 30 years now! What’s it like to be a part of COMPAS?

Being on COMPAS roster has been rewarding. I have taught many residencies and performed in many Minnesota towns and cities. Most of the places I would have not explored on my own. The highlights have been the students I have met and the excitement and joy I saw on their faces when they read their poems or presented their performances for their parents. My musician and I were at the airport on our way to Germany, when two former students ran up to us to say hello. Their parents, apologized, “I’m sorry they said, but they insisted they knew you.” That’s when the children yelled, “You were at our school!” Another time, I was at the airport in Los Angeles when another parent, said, “I’m sorry to bother you, but my son insists he knows you.” So in some ways being a COMPAS artist is like be a star.

How do you practice creativity in your everyday life?

I love coloring. What started as a lesson plan coloring to teach Somali adults English became a hobby. In one of my lessons, I used children coloring books to teach English. The adults were excited and learning the words for each color was a lot easier. Many of my students had never colored before. When my granddaughter visits from Louisiana we select different drawings from adult coloring books to color but we also embellish the drawing by adding to the setting or scenery. Then we select one of our works of art to frame as gifts to family. I also like interior design and like to change the design on mirrors, lamps, bookcases, wall treatments, and sand, stain and paint furniture. And during the summer, I love creating and designing flower gardens.