Language
Find the words, images, rhythm, and structure that give your story meaning.
Storytelling InstituteApply Now
An ongoing online guided storytelling experience
Find your story.
Free your voice.
Bring your storytelling to life through language, voice, gesture, imagination, and the art of human connection.
An ongoing online program for emerging and mid-career storytellers.
The Four Rivers
LanguageVoiceGestureImagination
“With speech, sound, music and, above all, inspired imagination, Mr. Gonzalez has the gift of creating magical worlds and drawing his audience into them.”
— The New York TimesThe Four Rivers Method
Where the four rivers meet,
storytelling comes alive.
You already carry stories worth telling. The Four Rivers Method helps you uncover them, shape them, and bring them fully to life.
Created by Dr. David Gonzalez over four decades of performance and teaching, the method brings together the four essential currents of expressive storytelling.
Voice
Develop confidence, character, emotion, breath, and musicality.
Gesture
Use movement, expression, and physical presence to make a story visible.
Imagination
Create the inner world that invites an audience to see, feel, and wonder.
Your transformation
You don’t have to arrive as a polished storyteller.
You arrive ready to become one.
Through expert guidance, generous practice, and a community that believes in your voice, you will move toward more expressive confidence.
Participants can expect to come away with:
- Polished signature stories ready for the stage
- A portfolio of five adaptable stories
- A repeatable process for developing new work
- More confidence in performance and professional settings
- A community of thoughtful creative peers
The ongoing experience
Structure to grow.
Space to explore.
A hands-on learning journey with the right balance of instruction, individual guidance, rehearsal, and community.
Monthly Live Story Workshops
One 90-minute workshop each month combining instruction, guided exercises, demonstrations, and practice.
Monthly Story Labs
A 90-minute storytelling mastermind each month where participants develop authentic stories through performance, coaching, and community.
Monthly DIY Gatherings
The cohort meets independently once each month, with guidelines from David, to practice, exchange ideas, and strengthen community.
Private Sessions
Individually scheduled 30–60-minute coaching sessions are available.
Your creative journey
Keep growing,
keep discovering …
The Source
Discover the stories that call to you and the point of view only you can bring.
Language & Shape
Build vivid scenes with structure, image, rhythm, repetition, and meaning.
Voice & Presence
Explore breath, sound, character, emotion, gesture, and stage presence.
The Confluence
Bring all four rivers together in an embodied, memorable performance.
Stories That Work
Adapt storytelling for education, advocacy, leadership, media, and professional life.
From Page to Stage
Refine, rehearse, and share your signature story in a culminating showcase.
This room is for you
Your experience is enough to begin.
You may be an emerging performer, an educator, a writer ready to step beyond the page, or a professional who wants to communicate with more humanity.
Emerging storytellersWriters & poetsEducatorsSpeakersCommunity leadersCreators
Sign Up Here →
Photo by Kent Miles40+Years of
storytelling
storytelling
Your guide
Dr. David
Gonzalez
Award-winning storyteller, poet, playwright, musician, educator, and cultural ambassador.
David has brought stories to life in more than 5,000 presentations at theaters, schools, conferences, cultural institutions, and community gatherings around the world.
Drama Desk Award NomineeJoseph Campbell Foundation FellowU.S. State Department Cultural AmbassadorNew Jersey Governor’s Arts Award
“As long as David Gonzalez is around, the art of storytelling is in good hands.”— The New York Times
What audiences say
“David is an extraordinary speaker. He shares unforgettable life lessons, capturing head and heart through his magical stories and poetry.”Charlotte Otto
Vice President, Procter & Gamble
“He relied on the majesty and variety of language, the limitless landscape of imagination, the pulse of music and the beauty of art as he kept alive the ancient art of storytelling.”The New York Times
“David’s is a most necessary voice, concerned with a profound, inspiring view of humanity.”Juan Felipe Herrera
U.S. Poet Laureate
Your place
at the confluence.
Applications are now open for a thoughtful online cohort beginning November 4, 2026. Admission is based on maturity, readiness, communication, and commitment—not prior performance experience.
Start My Application →Schedule
Workshops and Story Labs alternate on Wednesdays at 7 PM Eastern, with one participant-led DIY gathering each month.
Tuition
Tuition for a six month commitment is $600 in full or three consecutive payments of $200. Accepted participants may pay securely through PayPal.
Pay with PayPal →Coaching
Individually scheduled 30–60-minute coaching sessions are available at $100 per half hour or $200 per hour.
Completion
Receive a certificate and an invitation to perform in the May 10 online showcase. Performing is optional.
Published calendar
An ongoing rhythm,
held with intention.
Workshops and Story Labs meet online through Zoom on alternating Wednesdays at 7 PM Eastern. A holiday pause follows December 16. Recordings and transcripts will be available, and schedule exceptions will be announced at least one week in advance. The alternating rhythm continues beyond the dates shown.
Live workshops
Wednesdays · 7:00–8:30 PM ET
- November4, 2026
- December2, 2026
- January13, 2027
- February10, 2027
- March10, 2027
- April7, 2027
Story Labs
Wednesdays · 7:00–8:30 PM ET
- November18, 2026
- December16, 2026
- January27, 2027
- February24, 2027
- March24, 2027
- April21, 2027
By invitation
Online Story Showcase
May 10, 2027Celebrate the cohort’s growth in a streamed performance for invited guests. Participation is warmly encouraged and entirely optional.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked
questions.
Do I need storytelling experience?
No. The program supports entry-level and mid-career storytellers. Curiosity, maturity, commitment, and a willingness to practice are enough.
What if I miss a session?
Workshops and Story Labs are recorded so you can always catch up.
What does tuition include?
Tuition includes monthly workshops, Story Labs, participant-led DIY gatherings, Zoom recordings and transcripts, a certificate, and the invitation-only online showcase.
Can I keep the recordings?
Yes. Participants may download and retain recordings permanently, with an agreement to protect cohort privacy and never redistribute another participant’s work without permission.
How does admission work?
Applications are on a rolling basis. Strong-fit applicants will be invited to a ten-minute conversation with David.
Is a payment plan available?
Yes. Pay $600 in full or three consecutive payments of $200 through PayPal after acceptance.
Stay close to the river
Not ready to
apply just yet?
Join the list for program news, future-cohort priority, public workshops, and application updates.
Ready now?Apply now →