Where Worlds Touch
Storytelling + Butoh Weekend Immersion
26-28 June 2026 - £230
Birdwood House, Totnes, Devon
with Ashley Ramsden & Kait Dron
Speak. Move.
Emanate.
Dream. Dare.
Disturb.
Metamorphose.
Mirror. Mimic.
Integrate.
Imagine. Involve.
Flower.
Storytellers and butoh dancers have much in common: they both move between the visible and invisible worlds; both messenger between realms of sense and imagination;
both vitally communicate.
In this craft focussed weekend immersion, after laying some foundations of storytelling and butoh, we will begin to see how these two art forms can inform and enrich each other:
playfully revealing deeper embodiment of character, the disciplines of presence and the metamorphosis of moment to moment.
No previous experience necessary.
What to expect?
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Playful creative inquiry
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Define & develop storytelling skills
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Deepen butoh sensibility to image, moment and place.
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Collaborative & interactive exercises to expand your creative practice
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Explore bringing voice to movement and movement to voice.
Who is this for?
For a teller, engaging with butoh as a practice can add depth to your telling as a way to inhabit and be inhabited by elements of the story you're working with in unexpected ways.
For a dancer, engaging with narrative and voice from the storyteller's perspective can likewise
add dimension and nuance to the dance.
Whilst it's obvious that storytellers and dancers both experienced and fledgling are encouraged to joins us, we are also aware that the weekend can be beneficial for a wide range of different persons and intentions.
Both storytelling skills and butoh practice are transferable to other areas of life not only creatively but also professionally and personally - so we are expecting diversity. All abilities are welcome and nourishing for the group dynamic.
We've made a basic list of who we imagine will join:
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Storytellers looking to add depth to their craft
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people dipping a toe into storytelling for the first time
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Dancers looking to deepen their relationship to image, narrative and form
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Non-dancers wanting to explore the imaginal realms through movement
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Poets, musicians, artists, filmmakers - anyone with a creative practice looking to find new edges and inspiration.
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Anyone from any walk of life curious to try something new!
To join, please fill in an application form below!
The form is just to help us get to know you, not to assess or filter participants.
We'd like to know about your background, current creative practice and what appeals to you about the course, as well as any hopes and additional needs you might have.
Facilitators:
Ashley Ramsden is the founder of The School of Storytelling (UK), the longest running centre of its kind. A storyteller and teacher for over 40 years he has brought his one-man shows and poetry performances to audiences internationally. He has taught and mentored many of the leading storytellers worldwide and has co-authored The Storyteller's Way - considered an essential storytelling handbook.
Kait Dron is a dance artist trained in butoh primarily under the lineage of Kazuo Ohno. She has studied with influential teachers including Seiji Tanaka, Atsushi Takenouchi, Yumiko Yoshioka, and Imre Thormann and is deeply informed by land-based movement, textual arts, and mythic narratives, exploring the intersection of body, imagination, spirit and landscape. She teaches weekly in Totnes and occasionally in London.
Schedule Outline:
6pm - Arrivals
6.15pm - Welcome circle
7pm - Shared simple vegetarian dinner (Vegan/Gluten free/sugar free)
8pm - Introductory session outlining the core essentials of storytelling & butoh
9.30pm - Finish
9.30am - Morning session start
12.30pm- Morning session finish
LUNCH (Not Provided)
2pm - Mid-afternoon session start
3.30pm - Mid-afternoon session finish + Half hour break
4pm - Final session start
6pm - Finish
+ Optional:
7.30pm - 9.30pm - Open creative space for improvising and playing with ideas.
9.30am - Morning session start
12.30pm- Morning session finish
LUNCH (Not Provided)
2pm - Mid-afternoon session start
3.30pm - Mid-afternoon session finish + Half hour break
4pm - Final session start
6pm - Close*
*Regular trains run on Sundays from Totnes station to London / Cornwall into the evening.
What is involved in the sessions?
In these sessions, we are interested in the meeting place between teller, image and listener.
We recognise dance itself as a form of storytelling and traditional storytelling as a kind of dance.
Over the weekend, we will undergo a spacious exploration of this crossroads. Whilst you won't have a polished piece prepared by Sunday evening, you will come away with a handful of short stories in your pocket and a toolbox of skills to apply to longer tales and/or draw upon for future choreographic development - we hope, too, that you will have had a lot of fun!
We will engage in the core practices of storytelling and butoh, working with short Japanese stories and storytelling games alongside immersive imagination-scapes in movement sessions. We will explore embodiment of character, place, images, and natural elements - learning to listen with our skin and sense the calling of a space.
There will be time as well to talk about performance, if that's of interest for you, with opportunities for encouraging witnessing and reflections.
We will be tailoring the weekend to the group needs and desires - so please fill in the application form via the booking link below and tell us your hopes so we can do the best we can to work with where you're looking to grow.
The intention is for these sessions to ignite potential - like a seed opening.
Where will we be working?
We'll be based at Birdwood House in the centre of Totnes, about 15 minutes walk from the train station, with all day paid parking options nearby.
Weather permitting, we might sometimes head to a nearby orchard and hillside, too.
Totnes + Accomodation Options:
Totnes is a vibrant, eclectic town by the legendary River Dart, set amongst rolling Devonshire hills and known for its creative spirit, good food and independent shops.
There are regular direct trains to/from London and buses from Heathrow Airport.
Local airports to Totnes are Exeter and Bristol.
There are a range of accommodation options to suit different needs and budgets, including small hotels, Airbnbs and camping options a little further afield for those with cars.
The town and surrounding area is known for it's food culture and has many cafés and restaurants offering vegetarian, vegan, and locally sourced foods - we will be also right next to the lively market with hot food options and high quality fresh produce is available at nearby grocery stores for those preferring to cook their own meals self-catering.
What to bring?
It's ultimately up to you.
You don't need anything specific but we've made a list of things you might like to consider:
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Journal
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Drawing materials
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Water Bottle / Mug
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Snacks/drinks (Tea will be available but you might want to bring along a favourite brew and something to drink it with)
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Comfortable clothes for moving in
If you're feeling the call, we'd love to hear from you.
We're intentionally keeping this group as small as we can, so space is limited.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact kait@being.land