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NATIONAL TELLERS
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Dan Keding
Dan Keding, storyteller of international acclaim, is well known for his telling of traditional world folktales, personal narratives of his boyhood in Chicago, ghost stories and dark tales, and superbly crafted original pieces. A well respected ballad singer, he accompanies himself on guitar, banjo and spoons. This combination of dynamic storytelling and powerful ballad singing has made him a festival favorite throughout the US, Great Britain and Ireland, endearing him to audiences of all ages.
In the summer of 2000, in recognition of his artistic achievements and his
contributions to the art of storytelling, Dan was presented the Circle of
Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network. Dan has been a
featured performer at some of the most prestigious events in storytelling
including The National Storytelling Festival, The Sidmouth International
Folk Arts Festival (England), The Illinois Storytelling Festival, and The
Texas Storytelling Festival. His love for story goes beyond the
performance stage and into research, resulting in a unique masters degree
from The University of Illinois at Springfield in the history and
performance of traditional folktales and ballads. He currently writes a
column on storytelling for Sing Out!, the folk music magazine.
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Olga Loya
Nationally known Latina storyteller, performance artist, teacher and author, Olga Loya dramatically mixes Spanish and English in performances for adults, children and families. Her repertoire demonstrates how diversity embraces the richness of cultures in the commonality and individuality of lives. Loya's personal stories explore the struggles, complexities, and joys of being bicultural - Mexican American in the United States. Olga also performs a large repertoire of colorful tales from around the world that not only entertain, but also expands audience's awareness of other cultures. There is wisdom found in the stories she shares with fierce honesty. And, delight is found in Olga Loya's performance styles that range from improvisation with movement and dance, to music and song. Loya has performed for audiences from pre-schools to senior citizens.
Olga Loya has been a featured teller at the First Latin-American Storytelling Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico. She has been a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival as well as appearing at the Ghost Tales in 2001. She is on the roster of many arts councils, some of which include Los Angeles Music Center Education Division, Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo Children's Creative Project, the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz. Loya performs and teaches workshops in museums, theaters, conferences, correctional facilities, universities, libraries, festivals, concerts and schools throughout the USA and Mexico.
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Peter S. Cook
Peter S. Cook is an internationally reputed Deaf performing artist whose works incorporates American Sign Language, pantomime, storytelling, acting, and movement.
Peter has traveled extensively around the country and aboard with Flying Words Project to promote ASL Literature with Kenny Lerner since 1986. Peter has appeared in Live from Off Center's "Words on Mouth" (PBS) and "United States of Poetry" (PBS) produced by Emmy winner Bob Holman. Peter teaches at Columbia College where he received the 1997 Excellence in Teaching award. In 1998, Peter set up a video production called PC Production and now based in Chicago. Peter was featured nationally in festivals such as the Jonesboro National Storytelling festival, Oklahoma City Winter Tales, Illinois Storytelling Festival, Indiana Hoosier Storytelling Festival, Eugene Oregon Multi-Cultural Festival, and The Deaf Way II and the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Peter was invited to the White House to join the National Book Festival in 2003. Internationally, Peter has worked with Deaf storytellers/poets in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Austria and Japan. Peter lives in Chicago and teaches in ASL-English Interpretation Department at Columbia College. He loves to tell stories to his son
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The Regional Tellers for the 2007 Texas Storytelling Festival are: |
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Eldrena Douma
A professional storyteller, author, and workshop presenter, Eldrena Douma travels throughout the United States, sharing stories from her American Indian heritage. Her experience as a storyteller began in her youth listening to family stories of her great grandmother Nampeyo and her contribution to the pottery world. Adults in her community told of life experiences, history, and folktales. Today, Eldrena continues to develop stories of her own unique creation which stand to become as much a part of her rich heritage as the traditional stories she grew up with. Touring offerings include: 1. Listen, Learn and Remember: Students will experience stories of American Indian tribes, stories written by Eldrena, and stories from her youth. 2. More Than a Story: Eldrena has techniques that have been successful in teaching creative writing. Topics include: how to stimulate the senses, how to use oral storytelling in the creative writing process, and how to go from three- to one-dimensional in story preparation.
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Bernadette Nason
TCA-registered, multiple award-winning, terribly British BERNADETTE NASON is a storyteller, actress, comedienne and writer. Bernadette has lived all over the world but hails from England where she studied at Guildford Acting School. She's a company member of Austin Playhouse and OnStage Theatre Co.; an associate artist with Austin Shakespeare Festival; and a resident artist with Pollyanna Theatre Co. She belongs to the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild. Her English accent is often heard on the radio and she is regularly seen on TV and in regional theatre productions. You can also see her in the feature film, Miss Congeniality.
Bernadette uses her performance skills in all her work and performs at theaters, schools, pre-schools, festivals, museums, clubs, libraries, retirement homes, summer camps, stores, and parties of all kinds for all ages. If there's an audience prepared to listen, she'll perform anywhere!
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Don Sanders
Don began performing at age 5, appearing as the Littlest Angel in an elementary school pageant.
As a professional singer songwriter, he recorded half a dozen LP's then added theatre to his resume and ultimately moved into storytelling and one man shows. Currently he travels the Southwest performing his song and story shows for schools, theatres and festivals.
Sanders' Latin American repertoire draws on folkloric sources and includes trickster tales and leyendas.
Other shows focus on cowboys, the petroleum industry, tall tales and the timber industry. Don's great-great grandmother was born in southern Spain, married a Scottish sailor and settled in Florida. Her son, Don's great grandfather Alex McDonald, came to Texas, cowboyed, roped a bear, and worked as a Harris County Deputy Sheriff.
Sanders' is a member of the honorary board of directors of the Kerrville Folk Festival and is on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Artist Roster.
He received a Master's in Spanish Literature from the University of Houston and has studied in Mexico, Guatemala and Spain.
Don was born in Houston and lives near the center of town, in an old wooden house with his wife and his 16-year-old-son.
He has just released a new recording, "El Mosquito in my Kitchen."
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Don't Miss Our Youth Tellers! - Learn More
Don't Miss Our Rising Stars! - Learn More
Storyteller application for 2007
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