PESA Storytelling Competition Update

Today, Min Yi went for her Semi Final Round of Storytelling Competition. The competition was keen and she, despite putting in good effort, did not make it to the Finals.

Nevertheless, it has been a fruitful journey for her, as well as for me, being my first time in training a child for a storytelling competition.

It was a good exposure and experience to watch children from other schools telling stories. The standard of storytelling was indeed very high. The children had to vary their tone, pitch and pace as they impersonated different characters and resumed their role of storytellers at different times. Some stories were amusing and tickled the funny bone of the audience. One of the stories was a sad one and the audience could feel the sadness and guilt of the storyteller for putting through her teddy bear through various pains by not taking good care of her teddy bear.

Some pictures to share:

Before we started on the journey

Min Yi and her mother
Other storytellers:

A beautiful peacock in waiting ...

'A woman's wit'

The audience

Min Yi the witch-and-Gretel rolled into one

Min Yi and her supporters

Min Yi and her parents

Min Yi and me

Min Yi, Ms Chia and me

The supporters among the audience during the break

Going home ... "Smile, Jennifer!"

It has been a rewarding, albeit arduous, journey as we prepared for the PESA Competition. A lot of time and effort was committed to brush up the pronunciation of words, coming up with actions and gestures for the lines, refining the actions and the impersonation of various characters and varying the tone and pace of the storytelling. On many occasions, we had to rack our brains to think of how to make the characters come across as really evil, sad, shocked or puzzled etc. We deliberated on the props, facial expressions, the kind of voices the characters would use, right down to how Min Yi's eyes should look.

I'm quite glad of the outcome. Like I said in my earlier post about the Competition, it is already a feat for Min Yi to enter the Semi Final, given that she does not have as much support as the other PESA competitors in terms of the environment. She has come a long way to where she is. From someone who is not a natural when it comes to dramatisation, Min Yi has indeed put forth her best in the Competition.

I will say it one more time - Well done, Min Yi!