Storytelling is an oral art form as ancient as the civilizations of the world, yet, relevant to our time and place.
Storytelling motivates reading and helps to develop listening, language, visualization and literacy skills. It is entertainment that provides a means of transmitting positive values.
Storytelling forges heart-to-heart ties between people by encouraging appreciation of one’s own cultural identity as well as understanding and appreciation of the diversity of people, ideas, and cultural traditions of the world.
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DENISE VALENTINE Storyteller
ROOTS & WINGS
Philadelphia, PA 19126 E-mail: storyteller@denisevalentine.com Web: http://www.denisevalentine.com |
Denise Valentine’s storytelling performance illustrates the power of story to transcend differences between people, inspire hope, and transform negativity. She tells stories that emphasize the dignity and power of the human spirit, and the interrelatedness of life. Denise has a passion for researching history and folklore, then bringing it to life with her captivating voice.
Ms. Valentine presents interactive storytelling performances for audiences of all ages at schools, libraries, museums, and community events. Her programs are designed to engage audiences of all ages, encourage exchange between generations, and promote a spirit of connectedness and community. As a teaching artist, she facilitates folk arts residencies and teacher/professional staff development workshops. P
The storyteller made her debut with Keepers of the Culture, Inc. (KOTC) in 1997, and shortly thereafter joined the National Association of Black Storytellers. In 2003, she performed with Spoke-N-Weal as part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, in a production called "Faultlines," and made a guest appearance on a WYBE- TV35 "Philly Live" segment about urban legends.
In 2004, she participated in a storytelling delegation to South Africa, with the National Storytelling Network, under the auspices of People to People Ambassador Programs. In addition, she was awarded The Leeway Foundation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s 2004 Window of Opportunity Grant to study the preservation of folktale traditions in South Africa. Her essay, A Voice for the Voiceless© was published in the July/August 2005 issue of Storytelling Magazine, by the National Storytelling Network.
Ms. Valentine is on the roster of The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 2010-2011 Arts for in Education Directory Southeast Pennsylvania. She is also included in the Pennsylvania Humanities Council’s 2010-2011 Commonwealth Speakers Bureau.
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STORYTELLING IS...
UNIFYING, HOPE-INSPIRING
Denise Valentine - Storyteller, teaching folk artist, writer and humanist.
Denise believes that Stories are like Roots that connect us to the Past... and Wings that carry us into the Future. Storytelling forges heart-to-heart ties between people by encouraging appreciation of one’s own cultural identity as well as understanding and appreciation of the diversity of people, ideas, and cultural traditions of the world.
Denise is also a member of Soka Gakkai -USA. SGI is a religious organization, and a United Nations Non-Governmental Organization that promotes peace through education and culture. She has participated with SGI, since her youth, in various cultural presentations: a chorus of 1000 young women in the World Youth Culture Festival in Hawaii; The Cultural Exhibition of the World’s Ethnic Peoples; the United Nations 50th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibition, and the Books for Africa Project, in which 15,000 books were collected nationwide and presented to two universities in Ghana.
In 1992, she met South African exile, Godfrey Sithole. Inspired by the selfless determination of Nelson Mandela, she attended the National Conference in Support of a Democratic South Africa, on the 80th Anniversary of the ANC. In 1993, she was on the Welcome Mandela Committee, and attended a reception for Mandela when he came to Philadelphia to accept the Liberty Medal. These events inspired her to become an activist, and then a storyteller for social change.
Denise has also worked in the fields of international education, community advocacy and museum education. She is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts degree completion program in Global Studies at University of Denver, University College. She is a proud mother and grandmother.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
