Professional Storytellers Live!

On 10 and 11 of November, I attended the Asian Congress of Storytellers held at Furama Riverfront Singapore. It was a nice experience, making me wish to attend the next Congress again. For meeting those professional storytellers as they tell their stories was an experience to remember. Not only did I learn techniques, I was also entertained. Want to know them? Here they are folks....


This Japanese lady is Hiroko Fujita. She has toured schools and libraries in Japan and American libraries and schools there. With her American interpreter, Fran Stallings, she was able to capture the participants attention not only with her charms but also her storytelling techniques that are so apt for young children. I learnt a lot from her. Those paper folding techniques and finger plays would be a big attention-catcher for my children in the centre.

Storytelling With Music was another concurrent workshop I attended. The leader, Fran Stallings of the USA demonstrated how to tell stories with musical instruments. She taught us how to use melodies in telling stories to children. Being a recording artist and singer/songwriter herself, it was wonderful to hear her telling stories with her nice voice as she play her musical instrument.
I was not able to capture her on my camera, that's my regret. But anyhow, her voice and storytelling technique was the best for me.


Meet Randel McGee from the USA with his puppet pal, Groark the Dragon. He is a storyteller, writer, musician and performer.

His workshop was about Tandem Telling for One or Ventriloquism. He presented his storytelling technique in an interesting way. And with him teaching simple technique in ventriloquism, for sure my own children in the centre would be more amazed of the spoken words once I try this technique also. They for sure would not know that Teacher Luchie is just a neophyte. That's the wonder of being with children. They think you are the best around. Katuwa! That is why I must really work out on doing the best I could.


The lady in white is a workshop leader too. She
is Cherry Pua-Africa from the Philippines. She is a teacher, trainer and a storyteller and has conducted seminars in Singapore, USA , Thailand and the Philippines.

Her topic for the workshop was Creating Occasions for Children to Tell. She gave us a demonstration on how to create story rituals. Though I am sure she is a brilliant lady, yet her presentation turned out dragging. I could not see the main rituals she presented as applicable in the classroom setting.

But then, I am proud that she is a Filipina like me. Having produced storytelling CDs for children that is marketed internationally is a great achievement. With her around, I could again declare that ours is really a land of beautiful women with brains and talents.

And oh, with the above professional storytellers I met in person, for sure I would be more inspired to tell stories to my children in more stimulating ways.