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ARTIST BELIEF STATEMENT

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Introduction:

Teaching Artist have the ability to affect, and effect, personal transformation, social awareness, and create harmonious classrooms. Students are provided with a space where freedom of expression and self-discovery are unlimited and free of prejudices, racism, and social injustices. In theatre, the artistic and creative process is a journey of exploration. Through dramatic participation, pedagogic and reflective practices, students experience the art of unfolding, connecting, and making-theatre.

Artistic Values

As a Theatre Teaching Artist and Actress, I implement the practice of drama in non-traditional settings. Applied Theatre is an art-making and creative process, entailing brainstorming, developing framework, and creating performance presentations. We critically engage in themes that include, but are not limited to bullying, conflict resolution, and empowerment. Even though there are lighter topics to explore using theatre, I choose to delve into themes that effects self-awareness, developing social and interpersonal awareness with others in which they encounter in their homes, educational, and community environments.

Pedagogical Values

Utilizing community collaboration and group discussions, participants enhance and broadens their understanding, of themselves and of one another. Collectively, they are guided through improvisation, role play, theatre games, and warm-ups. Using drama practices infused with educational and therapeutic context, provides exploratory applications for daily living. Throughout my pedagogy career, I have witnessed the impact and transformation within participants who participate in drama activities. Theatre increases cognitive, and comprehension skills, improves negative behaviors, and academic achievements.  

Commitments in Teaching Artist

On my journey as a Theatre Teaching Artist, I have learned that being a connected teacher, I provide compassion, confirmation, connectedness, and create classrooms in which students can nurture each other. Connected classrooms thrive by creating a diverse atmosphere for all members of society. It allows those who have issues with communication, to expand and explore other avenues of exchanging information. This process also provides a platform for their voices to be heard.

Teaching Artist in Practice

I use process as my practice since learning that the creative act has become a collective process. (Brecht) Creation begins with a process. It is through my pedagogic approaches, methodologies, and reflective practices, that participant’s cognitive senses are penetrated and critical thinking skills are built. When using practice as process, it uproots and unfences known and unknown insecurities; that can ultimately stagnate the process of discovery, and preventing the opportunity for self-expression. My teaching artistry practice induces empowerment and confidence that stimulates the awareness in the art of becoming, in my classrooms.

Founder: About

DR. ASSATA J. HAKI BIO

A Little About Me...

For Assata J. Haki, acting is the root of the tree and some of her limbs are performing, storytelling, empowerment speaking, teaching artist, and writer. Assata's love for acting present her with many opportunities to perform, on all a variety of sets and stages. Assata graduated from Wayne State University with a BA in Theatre, and completed an internship through the Matrix Theatre Company education department as a Teaching Artist.

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Assata has taken her love for acting and the stage into classrooms, community organizations and programs. Assata has also created a way to embody all of her skills, experiences, gifts and talents within her company, Sista Love Outreach Services, incorporating theatre as one of the main vessels . In addition, Assata has founded and designed her own program, Empowerment Theatre, developed as a platform for the self-empowerment of women and youth, and voices throughout the Detroit community, using theatre as a tool.

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Assata is a brilliant actress, and has a great love for acting. Assata has performed in professional productions, such as, Perilous Times and other professional stage performances. In addition to her gift and talent as an actress, she is developing into a great Director, directing applied theatre project in the Detroit area.

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Assata’s previous work comprise of writing, and producing a Nina Simone, and Queen Amanireneas monologues for performance, and directing two devised page to stage projects, that performed both at Wayne State University, and at the Charles H. Wright Museum. The two productions were performed together with youth from Old Redford Academy, and senior citizen, theatre students from Luella Hannan House Foundation. The performance showcase, through storytelling, the accounts of the Rebellion of 1967, as an inter-generational performance.

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Dr. A. Haki, has since earned her M.A. in Teaching Artistry, through Wayne State University’s, Theatre and Dance department, and held a position as Instructor of Records, for Performance Exchange, a 1 credit touring theatre course. She guided college students through the process of brainstorming that developed their framework, creating an original script that was later performed within elementary schools around Detroit. Assata continues to work with older adults, and youth, teaching theatre, engaging in applied theatre methods.

Founder: Welcome
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