BLOGTOBERFEST13 (Day 26): Experiencing a book performance the InterPlay way

HAND DANCING. Christine Gautreaux and I performed a hand dance with other audience members after Sheila Collins read from her book, Warrior Mother. (photo by Tony Martin)

SHEILA COLLINS. (photo by Ruth Schowalter)

 

 

Hallelujah for novel ways of presenting books! Hallelujah for Sheila K. Collins and her creative way of using InterPlay to engage audience members in the reading of her new book, Warrior Mother: Fierce Love, Unbearable Loss, and Rituals that Heal.

Sheila read passages from her book, which is about how she helped her adult son and daughter manage their deaths through her love and use of ritual. 

After each passage reading, she invited audience members to dance, guiding us in ways to express our own stories or to help her tell hers. It was profound to participate communally in the story telling of her son's death from AIDS and her daughter's from breast cancer. And at the same time be connected to our lives as adult children or as parents of adult children.

HAND DANCERS. We started off dancing with one hand only with a parter. Then as the dance developed, we were invited to use the other hand and whatever movement we felt like doing. (photo by Tony Martin)

THE BOW. How fun to get to take a bow after performing. (photo by Tony Martin)

CHEERLEADING SUPPORT. In this dance, we followed Sheila's movements while she told her story. Talk about walking a mile in someone else's shoes! We danced in them! (photo by Tony Martin)

These photos show me performing in two dances, but there were three or four more that other audience members danced, and I watched! It was wonderful being a witness!

Consider getting Sheila's book, Warrior Mother. It is well worth your time. And when you are finished, invite Sheila to your city to do a book performance!

That's Coffee with Hallelujah. SOUL BLOG with me and tell me if you have had a similar experience with an author presenting her book. Or would you like to have this experience?