Virginia Commission for the Arts

LaShaunda Craddock (Kẹ́mi)

LaShaunda Craddock (Kẹ́mi) | Theater, African dance, Storytelling and Creative Movement

Educational Background/Training

  • Virginia Commonwealth University, Graduate Degree for Teaching Certification,
  • Virginia Commonwealth University, Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Antioch Global University, Ph.D., Curriculum, Culture, Change Curriculum Development

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • Traditional Culture and Movement Instructor
  • Playwright
  • Curriculum Developer/Designer
  • Cultural Youth Outreach Coordinator
  • Motivational/Educational Speaker
  • School/Community Cultural Programming Coordinator
  • Culture/Cultural Arts Lecturer
  • Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Specialist
  • Storyteller
  • Children’s SongWriter
  • Creative Director of Culture4MyKids
  • National and International Teacher
  • National and International Professional Development Speaker

About the Artist/Ensemble

LaShaunda Craddock’s journey through arts, culture, and education began at the tender age of 8. As a child, she would “ play school” with her siblings and create mini musicals for them to perform in the park. When she was a senior in high school, she presented her first production to the student body- allowing her to fuse her gifts of arts, culture, and education together on one stage. Post-college, LaShaunda contracted with various organizations as a cultural arts teacher. She eventually used her knowledge of how to run a dance class to answer an interview question and landed a teaching job in the public school system. Throughout nearly two decades in public education, LaShaunda tirelessly nurtured young minds– instilling literacy, artistic, and cultural growth through classroom lessons, after-school programs, and school events.

In 2010, LaShaunda and her husband brought her visionary program ideas to life by co-founding Culture4MyKids. Eventually, she joined the Virginia Commission for the Arts Teaching Artist Roster in 2015 and Richmond Performance Alliance in 2017. In 2018, she embarked on a new chapter as one of Greater Richmond Wolf Trap’s inaugural teaching artists. With 20 years of experience teaching students of all ages, LaShaunda brings rejuvenating passion and tradition into any workshop or class session she leads. Recognized as the Richmond Performance Alliance’s 2023 Support Artist of the Year, LaShaunda’s arts-infused sessions are embedded with cultural enlightenment, exuberant energy, and pure joy.

Educational Program Description

LaShaunda’s approach to teaching any subject is that nothing exists on its own. Everything functions in relation to something else. Cultural Arts is English, Math, Science, Biology, and History. All art forms are a function of communication. It is life. Her program sessions are designed to be interdisciplinary so that the students are able to see how movement, rhythm, and voice are connected to everything. Nothing, whether its art, academic or life exists on its own. Through dance, song, music and spoken word, students will have a chance to explore the worlds that exist within as well as outside of themselves.

As a curriculum designer, whatever program you desire , LaShaunda will create it for you. Theater? Movement? African Culture? Songs? Storytelling? Arts support for any academic project? LaShaunda specializes in bringing your vision to life. One time workshop? 4 weeks? 8 weeks? 16 weeks? We will outline the program that fits your needs.

Audiences

  • All Ages
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