Creative ID: 685
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
I am a professional puppeteer trained overseas. I have 12 years of experience teaching puppetry, performing and creating puppets for theatre shows. I have worked with Whoa! studio, Auckland, performing with puppets for children and adults and also created giant puppets for a community festival at Hobsonville point. I have taught a puppetry program through "Creatives in schools" in a local primary school (Feb 2021) that is called: Puppet powers. It enriched the students with different skills of puppetry: creating the puppets, manipulating and creating a show together. I bring with me a lot of creativity, the opportunity to develop communication through puppets and a process that connects the students and teachers to the rich culture of puppetry from around the world. Together we explore local stories and traditions and bring them to life with puppets.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
Experience overseas:
2011-2019: Actor and a puppet manipulator in an award winning adult show: “Floras’ Dance”.
2013-2019: Teaching puppetry at “The Israeli puppetry School”.
2015-2019: Teaching puppetry to primary school students (ages 6-12) in Amikam, Israel.
Experience in New Zealand:
2020: Family oriented shadow puppetry show and workshops for Winterfest festival, Hobsonville point, Auckland.
2021: Performing and manipulating puppets at WHOA! studios children theatre shows, Auckland.
2021: Teaching puppetry at a local primary school through “Creatives in schools”, puppet power.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
I have been teaching puppetry for children and adults overseas and here in New Zealand for the past 12 years. I have worked at a primary school in Israel teaching puppetry to children, age 6-12. There I developed a programme that included learning about the different types of puppets, using local stories and holiday motives and performing in front of parents in major events. I have taught adults in different workshops and especially at "The Israeli puppetry school". There I taught building puppets and using them for therapy. In New Zealand I have taught puppetry in the "Creative in Schools" programme at a local primary school. There I taught three different classes (years 1-8) and it was a big success. With years 7-8 we built a giant Taniwha puppet and 2 Māori Masks, and had a parade for the whole school. I have taught different workshops for children on holiday programmes, community events and private events as well. I developed a fourth nightly program for an Auckland kindergarten, and performed there in front of their children.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
Puppet theatre is a way to communicate and achieve healthy wellbeing by two means: creating the puppets and making it “come alive” in a show in front of others. This project aims to connect children from different ages and abilities and their teachers, families and whānau by using puppetry as a tool that will show their mental strengths and capabilities. It aims to bring their inner voices to a concrete level of a show and exhibition. The students will see how an idea becomes realistic by using different materials and imagination. It will put the children engaged in a long term process and teach them about commitment to the group they are studying with. As an artist I believe in the “power of the puppet” to heal, connect and bring people together. This experience will make me more involved in our community and help to bring others' imagination to life. It is a way to educate the younger generation about kindness, working together, becoming more confident, and to grow as an artist through this joint journey.