I work with storytelling as a contemporary, living practice—one that moves through people, bodies, and shared experiences rather than existing as a fixed or preserved form. My work draws on oral histories, folk narratives, and personal accounts, and archival materials, engaging them as material that is continually adapted, retold, and reimagined.
Through research-based and participatory processes, I gather and work with stories in collaboration with individuals and communities. This often involves listening, recording, and re-staging narratives across different formats, where the act of telling becomes as important as the content itself. I am interested in how stories shift through voice, memory, and context, and how meaning is shaped collectively rather than authored by a single voice.
My practice sits between documentation and imagination. I do not approach storytelling as a form of preservation, but as an active process of translation and transformation—where gaps, inconsistencies, and embellishments are not errors, but generative elements. In this space, I explore how narratives can carry social and cultural knowledge while also opening room for ambiguity, contradiction, and speculation.
I am particularly interested in the role of the storyteller as both a conduit and an interpreter, and in how imaginative and folkloric modes of thinking can speak to contemporary social realities. My work asks how stories can remain alive: not by fixing them in place, but by allowing them to be continually reworked, shared, and inhabited.
Independent shows
Freshly Baked Folktales (2014- on going)
A bi-weekly show that ran from March to October every year and was family focused. The shows would highlight both children’s folktales as well as children’s literature.
Layali Al Sireh (2017- on going)
Annual Ramadan storytelling shows from the bio- epic Sirat Al Malek Al Thaher Baybars (for more about this work see below.
Stories with Shalabieh for Adults (2013- 2019)
These monthly shows ran from March to October every year and were focused on bringing stories back to an adult audience. At the time it was the only show focused on storytelling for adults.
Under the Jacaranda (2018 -2019)
A collaboration between Shalabieh and Jacaranda Images
Shalabieh’s Stories from Home (live online storytelling) (2020-2021)
Throughout the first few months of the pandemic and then once again during the lockdown in 2021 Sally had regular (sometimes daily) shows live via Facebook and Instagram. The shows were centered around keeping her storytelling community engaged and connected throughout this difficult period.
Ward- A storytelling tour (2021)
A four- city tour telling a Levantine folktale: Ward took Sally to Madaba, Irbid, Umm Qais and Amman. The tour allowed her to tell a new story and present it to storytelling communities throughout Jordan. Reconnecting with them and bringing back intimacy in public spaces.
Al Dou A’ala Azmouh (الدوه على عزمه)- A storytelling tour (2023)
A five- city tour in Palestine telling from the bio-epic Siret Al Malek Al Taher Baybars. The tour started
in Tulkarem and made its way to Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah. The tour featured two
stories from the epic and brought it to new audiences within those cities.
And I Saw… (…وأنا شفت) – A story telling series (2024-2025)
A series of shows based on Oral Histories collected in Palestine in 2023 performed with live music. Each
performance showcases two stories and is intermingled with music from Palestine and the region.
Festival and Exhibition Participations
Throughout the years Sally has participated in different festivals. In her festival participations she is primarily a performing storyteller. But She has also taken on other roles in some which include, festival organization, translation, dual language performance, session facilitation. She is currently on the organizing committee of the Hakaya Festival – Jordan and has been since 2017. Below are her participations as a performing storyteller.
- Hakaya Festival- Amman Jordan (2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019)
- Hakaya Festival – Various Cities Palestine (2017 -2018 -2019)
- Fabula Storytelling Festival – Stockholm Sweden (2016)
- Cartage international Theatre Festival – Tunis- Tunisia (2017)
- Salon Sophie Charlotte- Berlin- Germany (2018)
- Arab German Tales- Transcending Cultures- Doha – Qatar (2018)
- Arab German Tales- Transcending Cultures- Berlin- Germany (2018)
- Scottish International Storytelling Festival – Edinburgh – Scotland (2018)
- The Story Festival – 8th edition – Sfax- Tunisia (2019)
- Hikayitna Festival – Various cities- Lebanon (2019)
- Bethlehem Site-Specific Theatre Festival – Bethlehem – Palestine (2021)
- Bethlehem Site- Specific Theater Festival- Bethlehem- Beit Jala – Hebron- Palestine (2023)
- Epics of Arabia Festival (2024), Marrakesh, Morocco
- The International Storytelling Festival and Art of Storytelling Conference (2025) – Multiple cities, Palestine
Some Highlighted Performances
Shalabieh’s Princesses
Is an evolving and growing set of performances that are based on Levantine folktales. These tales usually have a female protagonist and are reworked and retold in a contemporary way that uplifts and brings forth more modern and contemporary values. Some of the stories in this series include: The Sultan’s Daughter, Zain Al Baha, The Handless Maiden, The Blind Man’s Hat among others.
(The Sultan’s Daughter – 2019)
Khair ya Tayer
Is a storytelling and musical concert in which we tell the story of the Palestinian Nakba through the testimonies of two survivors. The performance is based on oral history research and has been performed several times and in several cities:
- Amman – Jordan (2017- 2021) (2017 performance)
- Nablus – Palestine (2018)
- Manama – Bahrain (2018)
- Ramallah – Palestine (2019) (performance)
Baybars- The Bio Epic (2016- on going)
The bio- epic of the mamluk king Baybars is an integral part of the Levantine oral tradition that was nearly lost had it not been for the documentation and republishing of the story. Presented to a group of storytellers in 2016 and again in 2017, Sally took on the task of diving into the 18-Volume text and started to tell every year from its stories. She started in 2017 to become the first of its female tellers and she continues to build the repertoire of stories every year. She tells this traditional tale in Ramadan and since the pandemic has taken to telling it online during Ramadan.
This is an ongoing work that will ultimately present a new version – Shalabieh’s version – of the epic. He goal is to take it from its 18 month long telling into a shorter month long telling. Focusing on a narrative thread that engages newer, younger audiences of today.
Site Specific Festival – Bethlehem Palestine 2023
My participation in the festival started included oral history research with 25 elders from Hebron,
Bethlehem and Beit Jala. The stories were then shortlisted to 15 stories and I then wrote them up as stories
to be given to theater directors as material for their site specific plays. The material was also given to
storytellers to perform. I have performed 4 of the stories at the festival and at other occasions.
And I Saw… (2024-2025)
Our resilience lies in our stories. The “And I Saw…” performance series presents 5 sets of tales of Palestinian
lives under occupation, told by those who lived them. The storytelling performance is accompanied by live
Palestinian and Arabic music that lends depth and emotion to the narrative. The series comprises ten true
stories collected in Palestine during February 2023, with each performance featuring two stories. ( …وأنا شفت)
An Evening with the Storytellers
This is a community-based event in which Sally facilitates the evening by brining forth community members to tell their stories. This was an independent endeavor that later became a staple in the Hakaya festival activities over the years.
Audio work
Shalabiyat
A five-season storytelling podcast published in 5 seasons (https:/soundcloud.com/shalabiyat)
Shalabieh Al Hakawatieh
Online storytelling channel (https://soundcloud.com/hakawatieh)
Journey into Madness (2021)
A five- episode podcast based on the Arabic book (ما لذة العشق إلا للمجانين) The Joy of passion is that of madmen. The book is based on the classic Arabic texts of Al Naisabouri. The work involved research, writing, recording and direction. (Journey into Madness Podcast)
So Close Yet So Far series (2021)
Voice over work for 2 stories by Visualizing Palestine as part of their online video series So Close Yet So Far
(So Close Yet So Far- English)
Hiyakat Al Kalam (2020)
A nine-story series based on the Arabic book of short stories by AL – Tanoukhi’s classic books. The work involved research, writing, recording and direction. (Hiyakat Al Kalam Stories)
Tales of Amman (2021)
A 10-part series of stories about Amman and its origins based on collected oral testimonies from the inhabitants of Muhajereen- the oldest neighborhood in Amman. The work involved research, writing, translation, recording and direction of the audio series as well as consulting on the visual content and book to be published.
(حكايات عمان (AR) Tales of Amman (EN))
Kuna Wa Mazilna – Youth Edition (2021)
An Audio visual storytelling podcast that tells the Palestinian story through the stories of various people as
well as historical events focused on youths. (A Crate of Oranges- سحارة برتقان)
Zaghareed (2022)
A 5-part series reflecting on the traditional oral form of Zaghareed (sung prose) and their singers and what
has happened to them. This podcast is the product of a yearlong research and is accompanied by a book
documenting the reflections from the research journey.
(Zaghareed- زغاريد)
Adventures in the Museum (2024)
A collaboration with SOWT Podcasting and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, I adapted the stories for audio creating
performance scripts for the second and third seasons of the podcast. (مغامرات في المتحف)
Urjouha Library- Folktales Album (2024)
A collaboration with Arab Resource Collective- Al Mawared to produce 12 audio stories targeted towards
children (early childhood) for their online Parenting and Caregiving Hub “Urjouha”. ( مكتبة أرجوحة- قصص شعبية)
Sadafeh- Stories Application (2024)
A collaboration with Plan International – Jordan to produce 12 audio tracks (two lullabies/ songs and 10
stories) targeted towards children in Gaza (0-10 years old) to support their resilience and steadfastness and
to help root them. The stories were a mix of folktales and original content. (مسلسل الصدفة)
Publications
Timeless Tales Volume II (2019)
An anthology of collected Syrian Folktales Sally translated the stories from Arabic to English.
Timeless Tales Volume III (2020)
An anthology of collected Syrian Folktales Sally translated the stories from Arabic to English.
Tales of Amman (2021)
A book telling the stories of Amman based on the oral testimonies from the inhabitants of Muhajereen- the oldest neighborhood in Amman. The work involved consulting on the stories, the visual content and the texts.
Zaghareed – in search of the Ululaters
A reflection on research conducted in 2021 in to the oral tradition and practice of the sung prose Zaghareed.
Stories of Life (2021)
An online series reflecting on and retelling the lives of Arab women across the region living with HIV. The
series was published online my MENARosa and is published in Arabic, English and French. My role included
interviewing, writing, editing and translating the stories to make them ready for publication.
Stories of Life 2022 and Stories of Life 2023
Awards and Grants
Abdulhamid Shoman Foundation Arts and Culture Grant 2019
A project grant for “Hikayat Shalabieh” a storytelling production and performance grant, that resulted in 40 shows and a podcast season of Shalabiyat. Shows were in various communities in Jordan and Palestine.
Arab Fund For Arts and Culture Research Grant 2021
A research grant for Zaghareed, which looks into the oral tradition and practice of sung prose Zaghareed.