Storytelling is an oral art form that has roots in the past of many cultures. The stories grew out of a time when storytelling was not only entertainment, but was a way to keep the societal mores, and to keep the society's history.
Today's storytelling helps keeps the stories of many cultures alive for modern audiences, but also seeks to be deeply respectful of the cultures that the tales come from. These stories are still as vital for today's audiences as they were for the first listeners, since the stories cover the entire range of the human condition. Joy. Deep Sorrow. Failure. Redemption. Triumph.
A storytelling performance is an interactive performance - though a subtle exchange. The stories a teller offers take on a different shape with each listener as they draw upon their own memories and their own imagination.