Creative Non-Fiction, Fiction, Memoir, Non-Fiction, Acting, Dance/Movement, Improvisation, Storytelling

English

Adult Day Care, After School Program, Assisted Living, College/University, Arts/Cultural Organizations, Community Center, Correctional Facilities, Hospice, Hospital, Independent Living, K-12 Schools, Library, Nursing Home, Rehabilitation Center, Senior Center

(Association of Teaching Artists, AEA, SAG, AFTRA, Teaching Artist, CPR, AFFA Certified) In my classes, I love to create opportunities for students to shine: to tap into the creativity they wanted to unleash, to develop new skills for self-expression and collaborating with others, and to have fun! I have worked as a teaching artist for the past 8 years in Los Angeles and New York City. I have worked as a performance artist in a range of disciplines including acting, mime, movement, improvisation, and storytelling. I model for my students passion for my creative disciplines and the gift of artistic expression itself. In 2012, I was selected among many candidates to receive an award from Lifetime Arts to teach a 10-week improv class—Ageless Improv—to seniors held at NYC Grand Central Library. Following the runaway success of Ageless Improv, I was invited by the New York Public Library to teach similar classes. And since have taught and created dozens of workshops for creative aging communities around story-telling and performance. Including founding my own brand of writing for performance workshops that are focused on autobiographical story-writing & improv called SOLOfire Freeing Your Life With Solo Performance. I earned my teaching artist certification from Community-Word Project and completed Mark DeGarmo Advanced Teaching Artist Institute Seminar. Finally, teaching artist outreach work is also very important to me I have worked alongside New York Cares and on specific projects for Encore Community Services.

I love the opportunity to draw out the unique gifts and talents of students of any age. By drawing out these gifts and talents—and celebrating them—I help students build greater confidence, resilience, community and self-expression within the group. This is what makes being a facilitator magic! A core life principle I hold is that every one of us is a perfect, unique being; and we activate our life’s purpose in relationship with one another. When working especially with creative aging communities there is a deeper wisdom and willingness to this work. To put it simple they get it! My experience has been that this community is filled with a treasure chest of gems ready to share with the world! And I want to be a part of them being SEEN and HEARD. Working with this community lights up my heart and life!