Ista TAPS

Well this was a very fun, energy sucker, and exaughsting weekend, and having to be at school for about 36 hours over the weekend, fun...but it was all worth it. The thing that made me sign up or want to sign up for this event was 1) to get the experience that I wasn't able to last year, 2) everyone that I knew that went to it last year in Atlanta, was always bragging about it, 3) Mrs. Gordon advised and "bludgered"(joking) to do this because it would be a once in a life time sort of deal and last but not least 4) I wanted to be able to do this workshop and come out from it, a new and more developed actor, to better understand my surroundings. The first day, getting to know everyone I would have to say was the biggest and most nervous thing for me, because at first I am a shy person to new comers and being around new people, that nervous and anxious feeling comes, but then once everyone was there for a bit, and we all laughed together and mingled, it was fine after that; and then "breaking that 4th wall" it was difficult, but after awhile, you adapt. The commedia class, which I went to on the first day, it was like an exercise class, literally, and metaphorically. For literally, the dance that Vince taught us, was really fun, hard, because I was out of practice, so I was sweating, but it was very cultural, so it was nice to have a change. Learning about all the characters, and how they move and speak, and their masks that they wore. Becoming the character, in the exercise, was very fun and stimulating. And later that night when the performance of Commedia dell' Arte. It was phenominal because after the lecture and workshop of Commedia, it helps me to have a better understanding of what the character's goals are and what the character itself is. By the end of the first day, I would say that I felt more connected and more aware and the nervous feeling was gone, and it seemed like I knew everyone for a long time(just about), and I had a sense of feeling where I stood as an actor, and what were my interests and dislikes, and what I needed work on the most. On the second day, going to the graveyard was mesmorizing.To not actually realize that that was the most haunted cemetery in Savannah, and how far back the culture and dates go, we did group activities and some where to write down quotes or to write down inspiration and this is what I wrote: " Perpetuity(which was written or seen on almost every gravestone or written somewhere), Fred and Dorthea Morgan- and there was this statue of a woman reaching to the sky with a crown on top of her head and this made me think ' As the angel above stretched her hand to the heavens, the sun shone down upon the earth as a protector over the children below.' and George Johnson Baldwin and Lucy Harvie Baldwin- there was this stature with a little child angel holding a big seashell and there was this quote" Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not recieve the Kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter there in"(st. Mark 10,15v). The next morning in our ensamble group, Sherri asked us to think of anything that enspired us to want to make or look up in theatre in the furture, or to work on and this is what I came up with: -For when we did the graph of who we are as a person in the theatre world, or in our life, and for when I fell low on the scale on certain topics, I could see where I stand and what needs work on the most and what I need to do or research to become better. To take risks, and go the extra mile(literally and methaphorically). For the stimuli, how we took the three little pigs and made our own story, and there were 7 different stories, not one that was the same. Todd and I and one of the teachers were in the group, and we came up with a Star Wars theme, and it was really fun and interesting, and I saw that poeple were laughing, and they did enjoy it, and it was about 3 persons most favorite out of them all, so I was glad to know that. For Theatre in Performance, how in the cemetery the space and how in some, there are places you can't step, or there were fields, so to use that selective space in a performance, i.e. In a Greek tragedy play, the graveyard, of course, could symbolize death, and then to use strobe lights and fog machines to maybe recreate deaths/scenes by using the year or the description of how they died, or specific quotes. The Gullah is very(Aunt Perlie Sue) interesting, and having so many cultures come together to find out we all come or have the same roots. I likes how she interacted with the audience, and she kept it engaging. When we made the sound or sung the story, it makes it more interesting and makes us not lose interest. Also when we went downtown to watch a SCAD film, in the ensamble group, we discussed and thought of thoughts about the film, and I thought: Time, black and white, life/nature and a connection with everyone. The snow falling can symbolize purity, the waiting of something when the woman is standing in a room with a cherry blossom tree, the light shining through the windows could be a beacon of hope. The shadows and light. The type of theatre to tell a story i.e. opera, tablo, narrative, ect. I would say by the end of this whole adventure in the last three days, I learned that to become a good actress, you have to take the risks, go the extra mile, put all your strength and energy into it, and to research, and want to learn and be interactive with others. For ensambles, when you don't know anyone, that would have to be the greatest challenge because for one, you don't know them, but yet you have to show them everything through your acting as you would around people you have known for years. And that was the challenge because some people care what other people think, and how they might criticize you, but that should never matter, and it didn't at Ista TAPS. You could be yourself and no one would care beacuse everyone was kind and they were very friendly. Being the Hosts for Ista TAPS was very fun and exciting, because having people from foreign countries and they have not a clue where you are, as a host, we have to make them feel comfortable and help them to be aware of their new surroundings. So to me, that was a great experience. I would have to say the best moment with everyone would be when at the very end when we say our goodbyes, because then we give each other our information, and even though distance would be between us, we would still be in contact. This worksop has helped everyone make new friends from around the world, and to spread what exactly Ista TAPS is, and this ciould help expand broad over nations, and hopefully to inform and tell people what they are missing out, and to hopefully make them want to become interested, as well as to join and make a future in Theatre. Also being a tourist in my own city was quite interesting, because although I may live here, I don't know anything as near as much about this city as I would like to. So mostly everyone was still awed and learned so much from the culture, and everyone felt the same experience. And that was or is probably the best quality in Ista TAPS. Ista would probably always be with me now, and in the long run, I would say that this experience as well as research helps me have a better understanding of IB and what I need to work or improve on. As well as, to do more research, research on things I am interested in, and find the stimulus to help me start a wide broad topic that could go on for hours. Overall, Ista would be and forevermore vigorating, intoxicating in a good way, and phenomenal.