You could say that Craig Quat is just a juggler but he is so much more. I saw him juggling which he was amazing at but I heard him talk as well and that was truly amazing. He's using juggling to help people with cognitive challenges.
Here's more from his profile at the Smithsonian site:
Craig Quat is the founder of QUAT PROPS and inventor of the Juggle Board. He researches alternative understandings of juggling and explores new ways of expanding the accessibility of juggling through creation of innovative adaptive equipment. Quat’s work not only challenges the traditional conventions of juggling, but also the social perceptions of disabilities.
Quat is originally from New Jersey, but now lives and works in Cardiff, Wales, where he develops new types of juggling props specifically designed for people with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges. Many of these props will be demonstrated for the first time in the United States at the 2017 Folklife Festival.
Here's part of an article from Autism Highway about Craig:
He is by far one of the most amazing people to ever cross our path here on the AutismHWY! Craig Quat and his uber creative company Quat Props is a game changer for people that like to challenge themselves, build skills and have fun while they are doing it. Craig’s talent and love of CIRCUS has become his life’s calling. It has catapulted him into the fantastic and creative purpose to make juggling accessable for ALL people. The importance of this work is easy to see as the mind/ body and central nervous system connections are truly the heart and soul of being human. Craig has found an amazing way to work the inroads of connection through his love of juggling and CIRCUS!
Craig and partners actively teach people to organize their brains by juggling! At first this may seem a bit mind boggling yet, Craig clearly knows and demonstrates rapidly the immense value juggling has. Through the creation of his “Juggle board” and other engagingly fun exercises he utilizes the importance of focus, connection and rythym that will spill over into everyday tasking. Watching him work with varied individuals live at the 2016 ANCA World Autism Festival was truly fascinating and very moving. You could literally see him gage the inner thinking of each person he was “juggling” with. Through this rythmic creative patterning Craig stimulates quick rolling -turn taking actions which must occur sequentually, causing many brain connections to be made.
Really interesting ideas.
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