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MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT


We want to show our appreciation of members of FEAST who in one way or another are contributing to the growth or well-being of the organisation or whose work as a storyteller we think may be of interest to the rest of us.


If you have somebody you think falls into either category, please email your spotlight nominee for us to consider. Appearing in the Spotlight is not necessarily time sensitive, so please do not expect that your nominee will be spotlit next month!



To see members in the spotlight in previous years, please use these links:

Spotlight Gallery 2022

Spotlight Gallery 2023




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Diep Tran

December 2024

Diep Tran is an English teacher, a language coach, and a bilingual storyteller from Vietnam. Her passion for storytelling sparked when she was 6 years old. Diep loved the stage and she performed a lot as a child. When she grew a bit older, Diep entertained her little sister by making up stories about imaginary people and places … every single night… for about 6 years. However, storytelling wasn’t a big part of her adulthood until she became a mom.


Reading books to her children everyday reignited her passion for storytelling and performing. The year 2022 marked an important milestone when Diep Tran started her own Youtube channel called Sun and Moon Stories. Through this channel, she tells folk tales and fairy tales from around the world in both Vietnamese and English. Her videos have been well-received by children, parents and teachers in Vietnam. The most popular one to date hit 38,000 views which was way beyond her expectation. Over the last two years, Diep Tran has taught storytelling for kids from 5 to 10 years old. She has been invited by primary schools in Vietnam to coach storytelling and public speaking performances.


As an experienced language teacher, Diep Tran is a huge believer in the power of storytelling in language education. Her plan for the future is to incorporate storytelling techniques into everyday teaching practices, curriculum design and material development. Reconnecting with her love for storytelling and becoming a member of FEAST have totally transformed her life and her future prospect.


To know more about her and to watch her stories, visit..

https://www.youtube.com/@Sun_And_Moon_Stories

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088449589953

Diep says...


My favourite quote:

“The shortest distance between 2 people is a story” by Patti Digh


Some of my favourite stories:

“The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams

“The tiger who came to tea” by Judith Kerr

“Tích Chu” – a Vietnamese folk tale

“Matilda” by Roald Dahl


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Selina Eisenberg

November 2024

Legend has it that Selina Eisenberg began storytelling from her stroller to the women who worked in Ogilvy’s lingerie department in Ottawa where she grew up. After graduating with a B.A. in Early Childhood Education, she began teaching Pre-Kindergarten children in a trilingual school. During this time she attended two storytelling workshops. One by storyteller/author Robert Munsch, the other by Jewish Storyteller Penninah Schram. Selina loved the way these two master tellers captivated their listeners, and she was ready to try. Drawing her students in and keeping them engaged would be easy, but recalling the sequence of events was another story. She began experimenting with props and her own flannelboard creations to help move the plot along, and this did the trick.


Selina tells for all ages in schools, libraries, parks, cafés, festivals and conferences. She has led Mother Goose Programs for the very young, and given workshops for teachers, librarians, and coached storytellers when asked. Her repertoire is vast and includes stories from around the world.


In August, Selina was the only Canadian teller to be part of India’s “Under the Aalamaram” 2024 Festival in Coimbatore, and Chennai. Selina attributes her global storytelling network to her ongoing involvement with Storytellers of Canada, co-hosting the monthly Montreal Storytellers Guild & Friends Virtual Swap; being on FEAST’s Prop Swap Team, storytelling in Turkey, telling a story at a cancer hospital for children in Jakarta, and giving a workshop and telling stories to Korean children at Bookizcon Book Fair in Suwon.


Her website : storiesbyselina.ca

Selina says...


My Favourite Storytelling Book: 

'Ancient Stories for Modern Times' by Faye Mogensen 

A delightful collection of timeless stories from around the world.


My Favourite Storytelling Quote:

“Journey’s Unfold with Every Story Told.” 

Written by Selina because of the many journeys her storytelling has taken her. 




Simone Sales

October 2024

Simone Sales is a storyteller from the Philippines. In 2013, she represented the Philippines for the Storytelling Category of the Asian English Olympics in Jakarta, Indonesia, not knowing much about the world of storytelling. After a lovely few days getting to know the other participants and the competition judges and mentors, Sheila Wee, Jeeva Raganuth, and Ariyo Mohammad Zidni, she realized she found her home. Aside from bringing back the gold medal for Storytelling, she also brought back to Manila her newfound love for storytelling. 


In 2014, Simone founded Mga Apo ni Lola Basyang or "Grandchildren of Grandmother Basyang" (@angmgaapo), a group of storytellers. An avid writer, she has incorporated her storytelling into her poetry and vice versa, mixing the power of oral narrative with the flourish of poetic verse. Her poetry has been published in Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, Cordite Poetry Review, and in self-published zines. Her stories have been shared in local and international audiences, including the United States of America, India, Singapore, Indonesia, and recently in South Korea for FEAST 2024 Conference where she conducted a workshop on Poetics in Storytelling with Leandro Reyes. In November 2023, Simone’s poetry suite entitled “Paper Planes” was awarded third prize in the Poetry Written for Children category of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, the most prestigious literature award in the Philippines. Simone and her mother, Dia, own the bookstore Book Bestie PH (@bookbestie_ph), supporting local authors and creators.


Simone says...


My Favourite Storytelling Book:

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang by Severino Reyes


My Favourite Storytelling Quote:

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again" by C.S. Lewis




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Alicia Dongjoo Bang

September 2024

As an internationally celebrated storyteller and educator, Alicia Dongjoo Bang, has dedicated her life to the enchanting art of storytelling. As the visionary founder of Story School—a premier institution devoted to cultivating young storytellers—and the Korea International Storytellers' Association (KISA), She has played a crucial role in advancing the craft of storytelling both within Korea and on the global stage.


Her journey began as an English teacher in Korea, where she discovered the profound impact of storytelling in enhancing students' linguistic and cognitive development. This revelation led her to embrace storytelling as a core pedagogical tool, eventually guiding her towards a full-time career in this captivating field.


Today, she traverses the globe, sharing the rich tapestry of Korean culture through her performances at prestigious international festivals. She is equally devoted to her role as an educator, nurturing the next generation of storytellers, with a particular focus on children and youth.


Among her most cherished achievements is the establishment of Korea's inaugural International Storytelling Festival in 2018, which has

flourished into its seventh year under her stewardship. Additionally, she takes immense pride in spearheading the effort to host the esteemed

FEAST International Conference in Korea for the first time, scheduled to take place in Suwon in September 2024.


Through he work, she strives to bridge cultures, inspire minds, and leave an enduring legacy in the world of storytelling.

Alicia says....



My Favourite book on storytelling is "The Storyteller's Secret" by Carmine Gallo


Key Insight: The most powerful stories are those that are authentic, passionate, and emotionally engaging. Storytelling is both an art and a science, capable of inspiring and influencing others. Exceptional leaders transform their vision into compelling narratives that motivate and inspire.

Most Powerful Stories: "The most compelling stories are those that are authentic, passionate, and emotionally engaging."

Great Leaders: "The best leaders are those who can convert their vision into motivating stories."


My Favourite Quote Related to Storytelling


One of my favourite quotes is by me:


'Storytelling is not opening your mouth. It is opening your heart and mind.'


This quote embodies the true essence of storytelling—it transcends mere speech and delves into connecting deeply with others by opening our hearts and minds. Through storytelling, we convey emotions and experiences that resonate far

beyond mere words.”


My message to Fellow Storytellers


“I firmly believe that everyone possesses the innate ability to be a storyteller. Each of us has a unique narrative to share, and today, I have shared mine with you. In these challenging times, you may feel that dreaming big is a luxury, but I urge you to trust in yourself. Dare to dream big and embrace challenges, irrespective of your circumstances. Storytelling is not a solitary journey; while one might advance more swiftly alone, together we can traverse a path that is far more beautiful and expansive. As we move forward, I hope that more storytellers will courageously forge their own paths and share their extraordinary stories. So, what dreams are you nurturing today? Whatever they may be, remember—it is your story.


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Rani Kanna

August 2024

Rani Kanna is a multifaceted entrepreneur deeply involved in the arts as the Director of AKT Creations and AK Theatre. With an educational foundation from the National Institute of Education, Rani brings a wealth of experience to her teaching roles within MOE schools in Singapore. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Tamil Language and a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, she is deeply passionate about fostering language development through the engaging mediums of storytelling and dramatization. Since 2014, Rani has been at the forefront of directing preschool musicals, showcasing her commitment to early childhood arts education.


Moreover, her expertise extends to leading storytelling workshops that cater to a wide audience including students, parents, teachers, librarians, and library volunteers. Rani's work is driven by her joy in engaging with children and her aspiration to nurture a love for language and culture. Through her storytelling sessions, theatre plays, and traditional arts performances, she aims to bridge cultural gaps and spark a lifelong interest in the arts among the young and old alike.

Rani says...


"Stories are the heartbeat of human experience, weaving the fabric of our shared existence. They transcend time, culture, and language, connecting us to our past, guiding us through the present, and inspiring our future. Each story told is a bridge to understanding, empathy, and transformation. Embrace the power of storytelling; your story matters and has the potential to change the world."


My Fav book

'Stories I like to Tell' by Jeeva Raghunath


My Fav storytelling quote

"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." - Einstein


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Jo Henwood

July 2024

The transformative moment in Jo Henwood’s story came in 1999 when she discovered the community of Storytellers and realised ‘But this is what my life has always been about!’

 

The things that have sustained Jo have always been stories –classic novels, vintage films, writing, travelling, theatre, and folk festivals. As a child she couldn’t decide whether she should be a teacher, librarian, or writer – and now they all come together in storytelling.

 

After about twenty years as librarian, special education, volunteer coordinator, and Out Of School Hours Coordinator, she finally became a Tour Guide and Museum Education Officer, and that was the path to joining the Storytelling Guild of NSW.

 

Jo tells mysteries and science fiction, as well as myths and legends, literary and folk stories, but her favourites are the epics, ghost stories, fairy tales, and historical stories. 

 

Jo has developed a specialisation in storytelling as museum theatre, performing in heritage sites, including historic houses, art galleries, museums, cemeteries, and walking tours.  This ran parallel to gaining post graduate qualifications in Museum Studies, Gifted Education, and a Master of Cultural Heritage, and organising Professional Development Days for museum educators. Jo was honoured to be asked to mentor Storytellers in Heritage Sites for FEAST in 2021-22 which led her to the Lycian Way storytelling tour in May 2022 – a life highlight. 

 

Researching fairy tales in order to create authentic Australian re tellings resulted in Jo co founding the Australian Fairy Tale Society in 2013, where she continues to research fairy tales as Ring Maiden, having recently relinquished her five year role as President.

 

Current projects – in addition to researching fairy tales, working in various museums and heritage sites, pre school storytelling, and creating new walking tours, and new community college workshops on history and literature– include writing a book of children’s historical stories for a local museum, a database on the history of fairy tales created in Australia, a new cemetery tour, and presenting at an upcoming FEAST Prop Swap. 

Jo says...


For stories I love Tales of Superhuman Powers by Csenge Virag Zalka


For techniques, the book I have examined most carefully is Using Storytelling to Support Children and Adults with Special Needs edited by Nicola Grove.


My Favourite storytelling quote....


If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen. And here I make a great rule – a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.

John Steinbeck.


My only piece of wisdom is – if you have the choice between learning something practical that everyone says everyone should know and something that you love, always choose the thing you love. No matter how many times you are taught something you don’t care about, you’re never going to really learn it – but if you keep specialising in things that really excite you, you will develop something unique, and that will be your gift to the world.




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Fran Stallings

June 2024

Fran grew up in a storytelling family and has been telling stories since she was a child. Babysitting for younger brothers, she learned the use of storytelling as a survival skill!


Fran’s performances and workshops have taken her not only nationwide in the US, but also to Japan, UK, Egypt, Singapore, India, Hong Kong, and Macau. She has worked in schools, libraries, community centers, and parks as well as at storytelling festivals and conferences. Her stories often include autoharp accompaniment and lively audience participation. Her younger brothers taught her how to keep listeners’ attention by involving them in the stories.


Fran’s academic training was in Biology (BA, PhD). She did research and taught university, and now strives to educate and inspire people of all ages about our living world through stories and songs. She loves to tell “Stories and Songs for a Green Earth”. Her CD on that theme is now available for download https://franstallings.bandcamp.com, along with several of her other albums of stories and songs. Fran co-chaired two Earth Up! International virtual conferences for the (US) National Storytelling Network, and helped start NSN’s ECO Special Interest Group which sponsors monthly virtual swaps and a programming stream at NSN’s conference in July.


Fran served two terms on NSN’s board of directors, and currently works on committees with several regional storytelling organizations in the US to plan conferences and virtual services. Thanks to Zoom etc, she has mentored ecotellers for FEAST; gave a keynote for University of Bologna, Italy, for the Italian Storytelling Center; and participated in storytelling groups across the US and abroad.



Fran looks forward to seeing FEAST friends in Suwon, South Korea, and sharing her workshop on storytelling with music/songs.

see www.franstallings.com for more information, links to videos and audio recordings, and Fran’s Earthteller Tales columns (story paired with science fact)

Fran says...


My Favorite storytelling book: The Storyteller’s Sourcebook: A Subject, Title, and Motif Index to Folklore Collections for Children (Vol I Margaret Read MacDonald, and Vol 2 1983-1999 Margaret Read MacDonald and Brian W. Sturm) – she uses these all the time!


My Favorite quote is from lyricist E. Y. Harburg: “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” (Substitute non-verbal elements for “music” and this describes storytelling!)


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Kshamatha Chepuri

May 2024

Kshamatha, Founder of Katha & Krafts – Hyderabad, practices storytelling with the purpose of serving humanity and spreading the joy of learning through stories.


After 7 successful years in the software industry as a Team Manager, Kshamatha decided to pursue a more rewarding experience – that of a Storyteller. Having witnessed first-hand how stories, music and books stimulated her daughter’s growth in the early years, she was inspired to

share this bliss with other children because she believes that “Storytelling is sharing happiness”.


Kshamatha took up this passion professionally by completing certified courses on the art of storytelling from Secret Passages, Federation of Asian

Storytellers(FEAST) and India Drama and Arts Educators Alliance(IDAEA).


For the last seven years, Kshamatha has been conducting regular storytelling classes for children where stories are effectively narrated and brought to life using puppets, props, visual imagery, music and physical movement. She also runs a mini library in her area and conducts regular

reading classes to raise reading enthusiasts. Both oral narratives and read-alouds have been an integral part of the classes to improve the child’s listening, speaking and reading skills. The carefully-crafted after-story activities like art and crafts, worksheets, drama and role-play help children to enrich their language and communication skills. As a versatile teller who is fluent in English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, she has curated, assisted and performed at major storytelling events and children’s literature festivals in India. Kshamatha along with three of her storyteller friends from Hyderabad represent Katha Konnections, which aims to connect people over stories to encourage empathy and to entertain.


Kshamatha is not only associated with several private schools, NGOs and Govt. schools but also supports the underprivileged and cancer patients who are in need of financial assistance. She has been actively raising funds through her online classes and virtual fundraiser event KathaDhara.

Kshamatha was honored with the Seva Ratna award from Urathasinthanai Tamil Magazine and was presented with the Inspiring Storyteller 2024 award by the Food4Thought Foundation for her significant contributions to society through storytelling.

Kshamatha says...


My Favourite quote...


As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

-      Audrey Hepburn

 

My Favourite storytelling quote...

“We are all storytellers. We all live in a network of stories. There isn’t a stronger connection between people than storytelling.”

-      Jimmy Neil Smith, Director of the International Storytelling Center

 

My Favourite Storytelling Book

Five minutes Tales by Margaret Read MacDonald


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KIRAN SHAH

April 2024

Kiran Shah started her professional life as a social worker, then went into early childhood

education. She trained as a Montessori Directress and the travel bug took her to work in

schools in Honolulu and Japan. She studied some more and then trained numerous intakes

of early childhood educators in Singapore. She also spent a year volunteering her services

working with preschoolers and teachers in 2 slums in Colombo, as well as training trainers in

Vietnam and Myanmar for shorter terms. When she discovered storytelling in 1998 in

Singapore, there was no looking back.


Together with now FEAST Director Sheila Wee, she started Singapore’s first storytelling

company to revive the art of oral storytelling with a particular focus on bringing folktales to

the fore. She si particularly interested in Asian folktales. She co-organised storytelling

conferences, storytelling courses to promote professional development, raise the profile of

storytelling and to nurture future storytellers. She was the Founder President of the

Storytelling Association, Singapore in 2006 and is happy to note that it continues the good

work by a younger generation. She continues contributing to the Association via Zoom. She

has conducted numerous storytelling workshops for students, teachers, parents and even

military officers. Her performances have taken her to many countries, attending conferences

and festivals in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, Malaysia and Iran. She has

performed in schools, libraries, parks, tents, trains and enjoys telling stories to anyone,

anywhere!


Kiran moved to Australia in 2008 and soon became an accredited professional member of

the Australian Storytelling Guild, NSW. She is currently its Vice President and co-convenor

of the Sydney International Storytelling Conference 2023. She co-hosts the Blue Mountains

Story Circle which meets monthly online.


Kiran’s relationship with FEAST has taken many forms. She edited the first 2 FEAST books

– A Feast of Stories- food tales from Asia and Royals- wise and otherwise. She has been a

mentor for adults from Japan, India and Italy. She has also been on the team to train

storytellers in FEAST’s Foundation Course in Oral Storytelling in 2023. She has participated

and presented workshops at all 3 FEAST Conferences in Singapore (2018), Bangalore

(2019) and Jakarta (2023).


Kiran says..“I wish to mention the wonderful mentors I had in my storytelling journey in my early days.

My first teacher was Cathy Spagnoli (who sadly passed away in October 2023), who led me

to explore stories from my Indian heritage. Margaret Read MacDonald and Anne Pellowski

were 2 other wonderful teachers. Then there were so many fellow storytellers whom I learnt

so much from. Zoom has allowed me to connect with storytellers from all over the world and

it is a continuous joy to listen to their stories and to learn from them.”



When not storytelling, Kiran enjoys bushwalking, working in her garden and cooking the

seasonal produce! Right now, chillies and chokos are in great abundance.

Kiran says..


Oh my there are so many but one of the first books I bought was “Asian

Tales and Tellers” by Cathy Spagnoli. I love her other books as well! In my early days, books

by Margaret Read Macdonald were so very helpful.


“My favourite quote is a 2-line rhyming couplet from my mother tongue

Gujarati, which translates to "The poet reaches where the sun cannot."

I’d like to think that stories can reach people’s inner depths. Stories are all about engaging hearts and minds,

making connections and building bridges.”


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PRITI MODY IYER

March 2024

Priti - a Storyteller, Empowerment Coach, and Executive Leadership Trainer. She is passionate about leveraging the compelling force of stories in all her life roles. She finds joy in crafting engaging tales that serve as catalysts for meaningful change. She believes that she has a vibrant narrative style in her storytelling. She likes to think that she captivates audiences through her storytelling prowess, whether at libraries, schools, or storytelling festivals, both in-person and online, though she is quite aware that it is the story that does the most of the work and she along for the ride. 


She establishes authentic connections with her audiences, workshop participants and ‘coachees' and do her best to ensure that her storytelling performances, coaching sessions are enjoyable and leave a lasting impression. With first hand experience in it, she is a big believer in the transformative power of experiential learning. Therefore it is important to me to ensure that her workshops are hands-on, practical, geared towards fostering personal growth and most of all - fun! 


As an ICF certified coach, Doctor in Naturopathy, certified Fire-walk instructor and Empowerment coach, she enjoys integrating her diverse experiences into her coaching sessions and corporate workshops and sometimes key notes. Her credentials include various certifications in 'Training and Development’, NLP, and lots of others that are complemented by traditional degrees in management. Her work is dedicated to empowering individuals and companies through the art of storytelling and experiential learning. She trusts this will create a lasting impact on the personal and professional development of everyone and she feels lucky to work with and eventually this beautiful world we live in.” 


Priti says..


My current favourite storytelling book - one that I only recently discovered ( after coming to Australia)

"Teaching tales - Stories for Values Education" by Roger Jenkins 


My favourite quote : so many to choose from! Have narrowed down to two:


Current favourite: 

1) “Time comes into it. Say it. Say it.

The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.”

                        from The Speed of Darkness by Muriel Rukeyser

2) This one I use all the time 

“It's like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.” -- Patrick Rothfuss


Author Priti’s addition "if you want to change - change that story"




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CHRISTINE CARLTON

February 2024

Christine Carlton is an Australian Storyteller, and Educator who has performed and facilitated workshops throughout Australia and in New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Europe and Asia. She finds joy in the transformative power of stories, which not only entertain but also challenge, inform,

and delight both storytellers and audiences.


With over 35 years of experience, Christine has conducted workshops for diverse groups, including children and adults, and has lectured on Story and Drama in Education at the University of Western Sydney. In addition to group workshops, she provides individual coaching and mentoring

for those eager to enhance their storytelling skills.


Actively participating in and supporting FEAST, Christine has shared her expertise by offering a learning capsule in 2021 titled ‘The Storied Gallery - Stories Inspired by Art’ and conducting a workshop on ‘Spontaneous and Playful Storytelling’ at the 2023 FEAST conference in Jakarta,

Indonesia. She has also been a guest coach and mentor for FEAST, demonstrating her interest in nurturing and supporting developing storytellers. She is delighted to again be invited to be involved in the mentoring program for adult tellers in 2024.


Christine has played a pivotal leadership role as the Convenor of the 'Weaving Stories Together' Sydney International Storytelling Conferences. The conference for adults highlights the power of oral storytelling, fosters cultural exchange, and showcases the practical application of storytelling across diverse settings. She is currently the President of the Australian Storytelling Guild, NSW.


One of her favourite special projects that she initiated and developed for students was a four to six- week storytelling unit culminating in a whole school Storytelling Festival. This initiative significantly contributed to literacy development, performance skills, the promotion of the oral art of storytelling, and the nurturing of students' self-esteem.


Christine loves the opportunity for cultural exchange through the sharing at zoom story swaps with FEAST members and also the Australian Storytellers story swap and is delighted that FEAST and the Australian Storytelling Guild NSW will be collaborating on a storytelling performance opportunity in 2024.

Christine says..


My favourite storytelling quotation is “If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed.

Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” - Barry Lopez, "Crow and Weasel”


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KRUPA VINAYAGAMOORTHY

January 2024

Krupa Vinayagamoorthy is a storyteller and coach based out of Singapore. 


After abandoning her life as a software engineer, she discovered storytelling in 2015 and has not looked back since. She has served as an office bearer of Storytelling Association (Singapore) for two years. She is passionate about bringing Asian storytelling and storytellers to the world through her work as Consulting Director of the Federation of Asian Storytellers (FEAST).


As a bilingual storyteller, Krupa tells to children, teens and adults. She aims to facilitate highly practical workshops.

Krupa says:


My favourite story quotation is: 'It's hard to hate anyone whose story you know."


Ever since I discovered storytelling as a profession, I like to coax people into telling me stories they grew up with.


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