A good story has the potential to move an immovable soul and convince the unconvinced. Want to know how?  Set your creativity loose, learn to find your inner voice, and bring your story to live in a way that fits you best!

Storytelling is a skill you can use forever. Sharing and listening to stories gets you in touch with who you are. It can transport classmates to your country of origin without having to travel. It can help your future employer envision why you are the right person for the job. It can help people visualise what the world might look like if they don’t start caring for the environment.

During this edition of Crash Courses, professional storyteller and musician Sahand Sahebdivani will enlighten us about the power of storytelling. Sahand is co-directer of the Amsterdam Storytelling Festival and co-founder of the Mezrab storytelling platform. He’ll give us a deep dive into the human need to share stories, and show us how they can contribute to a better future.

7:15 PM– doors open
7:30 – 8:15 PM – interview with Sahand Sahebdivani
8:30 – 10 PM – workshops
10 PM – socialise with free drink

There are six different workshops, pick your favourite below and sign up for free! All courses are entry-level courses, so no previous knowledge is required.

Dance: your body tells the story
Dancing is a powerful form of non-verbal communication. The way we move our body can reinforce our message. And the energy of our posture is essential for how we present ourselves. In this workshop we’ll learn how physical movement can help us tell a story.

Illustration: a story in four images 

We all experience crazy things from time to time. But not all of us have the time or energy to write a 600-page novel about it. No worries, because during this workshop we’ll learn how to tell a story in just 4 images! Whether it’s an everyday occurrence or an absurd situation, it can all be captured in drawings.

Visual storytelling: drawing the unknown

Visuals can be of great help in making your story come to life. Imagine this: sad person, in a driving car, looking out the window, lots of rain. The scene is set, just waiting for your narrative. In this visual workshop, we take inspiration from images we create with ink, paint or pencil. This image then forms the inspiration for sharing our story.

Public speaking: engaging your audience

Whether you’re giving a research presentation, singing a song or performing a play on stage, you want to tell an captivating story. But what elements make a story interesting and engaging? In this workshop, we’ll use fun and energetic (improvisation) theatre exercises to find the answers to these questions.

Spoken Word: paper to speech 

What happens to a story if you speak it into existence? If only you dare to listen, which stories will you find inside of you, just waiting to be heard? During this workshop, we’ll discover how to tell a story in a way that is empowering to us and the people around us. We’ll learn ways to translate words from paper to speech in a style that feels authentic.

Creative writing: narrate your future
What names will historians in the year 2224 give to the times we live in today? The Plastic Age? The Early Information Age or the Age of the Final Polar Ice Caps? In this workshop, with the help of sci-fi writer Max Urai, we’ll let our minds wonder and learn to create fantastical tales about what our lives will be like in the future.

Our creativity is a great way to relate to the world around us. During Crash Courses, Podium collaborates with Parnassos Cultuurcentrum to spark your creativity. Every edition, we choose one topic and delve into it with an inspiring talk from an expert. Then we channel this new knowledge in an artistic way by exploring the topic through a variety of creative workshops hosted by the skilled teachers of Parnassos.

The primary language at this event will be English. All UU and HU students are welcome! Parnassos Cultural Centre is wheelchair accessible. Both an elevator and a wheelchair-friendly toilet are present. The building of Parnassos is a monumental building, if you have any worries or needs that might prevent you from participating in this activity, please let us know by sending a message to podium@hu.nl and we will try to accommodate you as best as we can.