Deborah Dunleavy

Readings

Deborah has several storytelling programs for the public and for schools:

For the very young Deborah offers Circle ‘Round the Sun. She invites participation through call and response, prediction, movement, and singing.

Older students enjoy Deborah’s humorous presentations of Fool’s Wisdom.

For teens and adults Deborah has created two Canadian Programs: Northern Nights and Beaver Hats & Bag Pipes.

As well she has a seasonal program called Snowflakes & Cinnamon and a program that celebrates the feminine mystic called, She Who Dares.

With over 30 years as a performer, presenter and facilitator, Deborah is extremely flexible in her ability to adapt to different audiences. With training in mime, dance, music and clown, Deborah subtly infuses her stories with a kinetic and contagious enthusiasm.

Book Sales:

Copies of books and CDs can be brought to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed

Workshops

My workshops are quite varied depending on the age, event, and size of the group. I have done intimate workshops for adults wanting to explorevarious aspects of telling stories or how to use music and drama in the classroom. I have led huge integrated arts events with hundreds of students. My workshops are interactive and generally involve more than one artistic discipline – storytelling, singing, instrument making, mime, clown, voice, song writing and the list goes on....

Book Sales:

Copies of books and CDs can be brought to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed.

Other Presentations

While I have a vast repertoire upon which to draw I prefer to speak with the presenters and develop a keynote or workshop that suits the particular organization. For example I presented Stories for the Classroom Village for teachers at Reading for The Love of It. This workshop on emotional literacy examines how storytelling can enhance empathy and understanding between one another. I have been leading arts workshops for over 30 years including sessions for OISE, the Faculty of Education at U of T, and for numerous subject councils. Please visit my web site.

NOTE: a professional wireless microphone and sound system is required.

Biography

Deborah loves the lively arts. For over thirty years she has performed both nationally and internationally as a singer and storyteller. In 2009 Deborah toured Labrador for the Canadian Children’s TD Book Week and in March 2010 Deborah told stories to over 5,000 children in Singapore as the featured teller at the Child Sized Festival.

Words are her passion, whether writing a book (Jumbo Book of Music, Jumbo Book of Drama), penning a libretto for an opera or coining a catch phrase for a new song. Every story is a tapestry of language to Deborah and she loves being the word-musician.