Affiliated with the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network
Artist Biography
Cindy Craft has presented to over 10,000 students in schools across the United States, using humor and ventriloquism to address social emotional growth and discovery, bullying prevention and coping strategies for the bullied and the bully, character building, and creativity exploration. She draws upon her own experiences of using creativity to empower those who feel "othered" and leaves students with strategies they can use to discover their own creativity and individuality.
Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Philosophy
All students possess innate creativity that is essential for social emotional growth, self-identification, and self-actualization. Through the use of ventriloquism and humor (laughter is as essential as creativity) with various characters exhibiting issues including fear, anxiety, bullying, lack of self-confidence, feelings of isolation, peer pressure, and other issues, students will gain self-confidence and be inspired to find their own innate creativity and appreciation for their own individuality as they learn conflict resolution skills. There are federal and state laws for schools to follow regarding bullying, and students will learn the definition of bullying, along with coping skills and strategies for the bullied and the bully.
Testimonial
"I have never seen a ventriloquist whose lips truly do not move - until I saw Cindy's performance. However, her characters are so engaging I stopped looking at her and was completely captivated by her characters and the conversation they were having."
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