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TESTIMONIALS

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"Thanks to the courses I have taken in the School of Storytelling I now work as a tour guide at Shakespeare's Globe, where I also tell stories there during half-term and Christmas holidays.  I also now tell stories at my Yoga Teacher Training School. Being a storyteller and having the skill set given to me by The School of Storytelling has given my life focus and direction  All the courses were fabulous, a tremendous journey of self-discovery, with enough guidance to learn, enough support to make mistakes and enough freedom to fly."
-Jessica Pointon

 

"As a speaker I know the importance of storytelling and a speaker friend of mine had thoroughly recommended the storytelling courses at Emerson. I was not disappointed! This course added a whole new dimension to my stories but more importantly it showed me how to use my voice to move my audience emotionally. My crowning glory was after 2 weeks being able to move my audience to tears – for the right reasons! I thoroughly recommend this course to experienced speakers as well as anyone serious about becoming a professional speaker."
- Richard White
Author of ‘The Accidental Salesman Networking Survival Guide’

 

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"My first course at The School of Storytelling was about four years ago. As a tutor at a university – a competitive environment where a lot of the emphasis is on individual achievement – I found the methods of teaching a revelation. The approach was playful and always encouraging; sessions were broken up by singing and games and movement, and at first I felt it was all a little too laid back. But slowly I started to see the results in myself and others, and began to introduce this more relaxed, playful approach into my own teaching. There was an immediate shift in the students’ attitudes to learning: they became less competitive and more supportive of each other, and in this new relaxed atmosphere they were more willing to experiment and risk getting it wrong. It was a huge stimulus to creativity."

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"All The School of Storytelling tutors are, without exception, inspired and inspiring and I always learn something valuable, although it is not always what I expect. The depth of the work can bring up old patterns and stories and this is not always easy, but it is always worthwhile. I can honestly say that attending the School of Storytelling has provided me with many of the gifts my childhood lacked, and that as a result I am a more rounded and happier person. In addition to my creative writing teaching I now help to run a storytelling club in Sussex and run community-based and corporate storytelling courses in the UK and in India. At an age when I expected to be winding down, storytelling has brought a new richness to my life and work. I would never have had the courage to do this before your courses so thank you to all of you for your inspiring teaching. And by the way, Jared (my son) is just about to become a student on one of your courses."

-Umi Sinha

 

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" I've just finished my first paid gig at Marwell Zoo which was a straight 9 days, with 5 half hour performances per day telling scary tales inside a haunted maze. It was so much fun and I learnt a huge amount from the experience. I mention this because I wanted you to know that I took with me a deep understanding of fear and overcoming fear from the Courage to Love course which helped me select and tell stories with a sensitivity and sense of responsibility I would not have had otherwise. The outcome was lots of very positive feedback and children who faced and over came their fears in a safe and considered environment. I couldn't have done that without such compassionate teaching, thank you."
-Belinda Mckenna (The courage to love course 2010)

 

"I enjoyed the Storytelling Hut and the pace of the course, I liked the feedback given by Roi and the gentle, peaceful setting of Emerson College."
-Marie

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Review of Storytelling workshop with Ashley Ramsden:
 

"I just spent the weekend with Ashley. It was absolute food and oxygen for the soul. That is the thing that Ashley manages to do, apparently, so effortlessly. He manages to guide a group through deep waters, even stormy waters, while all the while pointing out the beautiful view. With Ashley there is no pressure to come up with amazing insights, they just happen. He provides the space for that to be able to happen and you could be sitting there with 3 heads and wearing a scuba diving tank and he would see none of that, he just sees the deep need that everyone brings with them, the need for connection. It is thanks to him that golden threads across the globe are woven strongly together, making this planet a slightly better place one soul at a time. If you haven't yet spent time on one of Ashley's courses then treat yourself, you'll come away skipping."

-Glenys Newton after A weekend with Rumi. (2019)
 

More thanks are due than I can hope to give.  What an amazing weekend that was. 
I knew part of the process from having read your book, but this gave me so much more.  I now know the very real difference between merely reading a story and inhabiting it in such a way as to be able to truly 'tell' it. "

- Julian Burnell, Begin it Now March 2019

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Review of Storytelling workshop with Roi Gal-Or:
 

“Roi's courses have been invaluable in helping me believe in myself as a storyteller. He carries the magic and soul of traditional storytelling and combines this with understanding and passion for the role of story as a vehicle for healing and positive change in our world."​

-Dr. Jane Riddiford, founding director Global Generatio.

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"Roi is an exceptional storyteller and teacher -- his humanity, insight, compassion and how he honours people is both rare and precious.

The four weekends provided a perfect balance of tuition, discussion, practise and coaching through which I saw my own storytelling skills and those of my fellow students come on in leaps and bounds."​

-Ravi Khanna,  leadership development consultant, UK.

Roi was awarded the 2011 “Wilson Hinkes Peace Award” for the
“Healing Words” work. This Award is given each year to an organisation which has shown a proven record of working towards peace, in any sphere. “We have been very impressed with the work that you have done and are continuing to do. The Peace Award of £500 is to be used by the International School of Storytelling to further this work.” 

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What students say about working with Stella Kassimati:

“In workshops and performances I have always found Stella to be like the proverbial Oak that we find in stories, calm, solid and quietly giving to many.  Stella’s interventions are like little nuggets of gold, perceptive, precise and given with real heart. Stella encourages people to find the Storyteller within oneself, giving you space, to discover yourself within the story and the story within oneself. Stella observes quietly and gives very precise feedback, which I personally value. A few precise words from Stella make’s a lot of difference. I remember fondly the subtle thumbs up Stella gave me, when I was working hard on projecting my voice. It made all the difference to my confidence. When I describe Stella to others I tend to say that Stella is calm and solid, which I find helps me, to centre myself. And last but not least, Stella’s subtle sense of humour, there in abundance, just subtle.” 

-Shane Ibbs, U.K. Participant of Performing tales from our Ancestors 2016.

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"On the first day of the Heart and Craft Storytelling Course, when I nervously stepped into the Storytelling Hut, I was greeted by the open arms, beaming smile and enthusiasm of Stella Kassimati. My over whelming impression was that her wide arms made me feel welcome, encouraged, cherished and inspired. Her wide smile had an intuitiveness that made me feel safe and secure. As tutor, Stella demonstrated these attributes for the following twelve weeks to the group, always attentive to the stories we weaved, listening, observing, supportive and encouraging. Stella always offers suggestions to draw out the best from a person and their stories in a real, earthy, instinctive manner, always with a rich depth of feeling, often with good humour but always with a good heart. Stella’s knowledge and passion for Greek Myths is as deep as her abilities to hold any story or anyone and guide them to the person they are and where they wish to be, through story. To share time with Stella as a tutor is to know that from that time forward she will always be stood right alongside and your stories."
-Janet Goring, Bluebird the Storyteller, Graduate ISOS Heart and Craft 2014.

 

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Review of Storytelling workshop with Giovanna Conforto:

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The  ‘ Symposium of Leonardo Da Vinci  was heartwarming, enlightening, and convivial. The range of skills and expectations of the group expanded my search for  The Renaissance Man in myself  and set me confidently out on a path of further discovery and delight in the Arts and Science. Thank you all.

- Philip, Open Symposium on Leonardo Da Vinci.

 

A special thank to Giovanna who led the workshop with confidence, balance and gentle care, readily addressing everybody's needs and encouraging free thinking and mutual trust.

- Francesca, Genius Loci.

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Review of Storytelling workshop with Bronia Evers:

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"Thank you for a wonderful, gentle intro to puppet-making. On the course I felt encouraged and inspired by you and by the other students. It was a wonderful cooperative, supportive environment. I so appreciate you, your expertise and kind, warm delivery. I feel nourished by what we did and how we did it. I can hardly believe I achieved such a short time!”  

- Felicity Lamb, UK

 

"I have been using the wonderful techniques you taught us on the course, and felt you as a constant source of support and guidance around me. The 'warming up' you taught us worked magically and opened my heart to the puppet, the children, the performance and most wondefully, to myself. Thank you for such a rich and marvelous teaching and for the great faith and joy you instilled in me" 

- Caja Vanderpoel, Storyteller, Netherlands