September 20th – 24th 2018, were four of the most memorable days. I will be pondering upon these experiences and moments throughout my DP years. ISTA taps, was organized by the international theatre association, based in the UK. It was a three day workshop, in which explored several elements connected to the IB DP theatres syllabus.

We were initially placed into ensemble groups, with whom we conducted the workshops with over the course of the program. I was afraid of going into my ensemble and not being nearly as talented or knowledgable as the rest of the students. On the contrary, I think about all the enriching experiences and miss every passing moment with them. I was surrounded by talented, caring and intelligent individuals, who shared knowledge in regards to the DP theatre course and theatre in general. If anything I felt empowered by them, and had a constant urge to learn more from them. We were apart of a variety of workshops conducted by the amazingly gifted Fenella Kelly. Masterclasses on the art of Butto and Topeng Balinese dance were conducted for us to gain more understanding towards them. I brought back so much knowledge I had acquired and felt even more confident stepping back into my theatre class.

 

I particularly, enjoyed the initial activities we took part in. We were all being risk takers, since we barely new anyone in the room. The confidence of the blackbox was snatched for us. It was thought provoking, to step outside the box (literally), and to experience something new; something that allowed me to grow. As a theatre student, my outlook on the subject itself flourished in so many aspects. I developed through the feedback from the individuals in the program. They bring their own cultural and personal perspectives with their constructive criticism. Which is enriching when taking into consideration that I only have three other theatre classmates. I made unbreakable connections with students from all over the world. Thanks to social media, we were able to exchange contact details and stay actively connected. My heart shattered knowing that I was leaving a place that felt like home.

None of this would have been possible if I did not attend this conference. I hope to see many familiar faces next ISTA!

 

This is a link to the ISTA video, created by me: