The Heart of Storytelling

In this podcast, we will explore the art of oral storytelling; looking at its history, its relevance today and discovering storytellers who are passionate about bringing stories to you in the oral form. Each week we hear from a new storyteller who will bring a story to life and share their journey into this traditional artform.

The Heart of Storytelling is a arts podcast hosted by Alyssa Curtayne, with 87 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Alyssa Curtayne hosts The Heart of Storytelling, a arts show with 87 episodes published.

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  Episode #85

  Dougie Mackay and Ancestral Wisdom

  Oct 1, 202642 minS2

  With a background in Community Education, my storytelling practice is steeped in group-work facilitation and storytelling as a tool for development, connection and empowerment.Hailing from the Scottish Highlands, I come from a lineage of natural storytellers, and am fascinated by the wild northern tales of Scotland, Scandinavia, Ireland, the Baltics and Siberia.I also like to pick up stories from places visited such as India, West Africa, United States, Canada, Romania, Norway, Italy, Czech republic etc.Telling stories professionally for over 10 years, I have a wide repertoire of tales and have become renowned for my warm demeanour and engaging style of telling, with lots of audience interaction and rhythmic accompaniment.I especially love telling in outdoor environments and unusual settings and often devise outdoor learning sessions with storytelling at heart.As well as delivering hundreds of storytelling programmes in schools, museums, libraries and community venues, I have performed at some of the most prestigious storytelling festivals and events in the UK such as SISF (the Scottish International Storytelling Festival), FatE (Festival at the Edge), Village Storytelling Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.I have travelled as a professional storyteller to Canada, Jordan, Morroco, Norway, Germany, Lithuania and Ireland. https://storyconnection.org/ dougie@storyconnection.org

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  Episode #84

  Zouhair and Crafting the Endless Shore

  Sep 16, 202643 minS2

  The journey began under the mastership of Haj. Ahmed Ezzarghani (RIP). In 2016 I was a bearer of a 1000 year old tradition and an English Literature Student at Cadi Ayyad University. I've remained deeply rooted in Marrakech, not just as my home but as my stage, my laboratory, and my muse. I co-founded the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival, bringing together storytellers from all continents while honoring the spirit of the Halq'a.My work in storytelling is borderless. Through residencies, performances, and collaborations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, I've reimagined Moroccan storytelling as both an ancient art and a modern tool for connection. I've worked with Coca-Cola teams on narrative leadership, co-created with artists from Ireland to Istanbul, and brought the Halqa into brand experiences with Serge Lutens Paris and Urban Jungle. My international story series “Tales Across Borders” documents the voices of storytellers globally, while projects like the Hikaya School Program seed Moroccan methods into global education models. In 2025, I co-led a team that broke the Guinness World Record for the longest storytelling performance ever. https://www.zouhairthestoryteller.com/ https://worldstorytellingcafe.com/

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  Episode #83

  Anatolia and Exploring Imaginal Realms

  Sep 2, 202655 minS1

  Anatolia is a multi-modal artist and storylover living in rural France. Born on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, of Pontian Greek heritage, she creates experiences, sculptures, writing at the meeting point of trance ritual and ecological connection. Running through all her work is the question: how can we listen to the little voice which connects us to the greater patterns of existence?Find out more about her at: becoming myth storytelling rituals rooting us in body, earth and stars

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  Episode #82

  Daiva Ivanauskaitė Brown and Total Unity

  Aug 19, 202649 minS1

  Daiva Ivanauskaitė-Brown is a professional Lithuanian storyteller based in Glasgow, whose background in history and heritage shapes her rich repertoire of Lithuanian and Scottish folklore and its' weaving with biographical tales. Known for her expressive body language, energetic delivery, and traditional Lithuanian singing, Daiva creates vivid, immersive worlds centered on womanhood, empathy, resilience, and the deep connection between people and nature. She performs widely across Europe and the UK at major book and storytelling festivals, museums, and community spaces. As a performance storyteller and a socially engaged practitioner listed in the Scottish Storytelling Forum storytellers' directory and Scottish Book Trust authors' register, Daiva works with The Village Storytelling Centre and regularly collaborates with other arts, culture and education organizations in Scotland and Lithuania bringing untold and lesser-heard voices into the spotlight. www.daivathestoryteller.com ‍ ‍

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  Episode #80

  Diep Tran and Keeping the Inner Child Alive

  Jul 22, 202652 minS1

  Diep Tran is a language teacher, researcher, and storyteller. She earned her PhD in Applied Linguistics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in 2021. She has had more than 13 years of diverse teaching experience in Vietnam and New Zealand. Diep Tran is the creator of Sun and Moon Stories, a bilingual storytelling channel on Youtube. As an English teacher, she believes in the power of storytelling in teaching language to young learners. Diep Tran runs courses for teachers and parents on how to teach and connect with children through stories.

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