Daiva Ivanauskaitė

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Daiva Ivanauskaitė tells tales inspired by myths and folk tradition from Lithuania, Scotland and other lands – stories about tricksters and cheeky devils, stories about fairies and dragons, stories about stories themselves.

Daiva makes every tale her own, finds parallels with her life and explores themes of identity, environment and togetherness. She deftly guides the audience through her vivid, enchanting imagination and heightens her stories with interaction and Lithuanian songs. Daiva performs on stage at festivals and spoken word events, with community and women’s groups, with families and in schools. She delivers storytelling workshops, training and courses that can involve stop-motion animation and other arts and crafts. Also she facilitates story work and brings the art of storytelling into organisations and businesses. Daiva feels a warmth of connection and shimmering joy, and experiences “a-ha” moments while listening to and telling stories of wisdom. She is passionate to make this joyful deep discovery of who we are as humans accessible to people of the modern world.

Daiva is the artistic director of Lithuania’s first storytelling festival and regularly performs in both her native land and her adopted home of Scotland. Born into a family of spirited singers and gardeners, with her childhood in theatre and academic background in history, Daiva worked in education and film before discovering her own storytelling voice. She then came to study the craft under David Campbell, Janis Mackay and Jean Edmiston. Daiva often collaborates with the Village Storytelling Centre in Glasgow and performs at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh. Daiva tells stories in English and Lithuanian.

‘Daiva’s style has so much strength and charisma. She paints such vivid images that they stay in my mind! I still can see the magic table, the dragon with many heads, the fern flower and the bed on fire! Her body language is very expressive and her face and eyes are so alive when she tells stories. Her choice of stories is always excellent. And, above all, Daiva is such a honest storyteller.’  (Inés Alvarez Villa)

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