AITA/IATA is the International Amateur Theatre Association, an international organization based in Central Europe that hosts World Congresses for educators and theatre practitioners, as well as Chidlren's Theatre Festivals around the world. I was fortunate enough this March to be invited to present at the World Congress, and have lots of news from abroad to share with my CODE colleagues.
The theme of the conference focused on the use of social media and technology in the world of drama and theatre, and featured innovative workshops in devised theatre, Playback Theatre, and the use of technological innovation in school-based contexts. Participants also got to create and stage their own flashmob, which can be viewed here. Educators from countries as diverse as Austria, Germany, Croatia, the Czech Republic and India came together for five days to work, create, discuss and innovate together. My workshop consisted of devising theatre about the issues of connection and disconnection in relation to social media, as well as creating theatre with low-tech technology-- which resulted in amazing performances in the dark, lit only with the light from cellphone screens!
The World Congress is held every second year in Austria and is open to all; in alternate years, it hosts a Children's Theatre festival in its hometown of Lingen, Germany, and in another location around the world. The 2016 Children's Festival will be held for the first time in North America, in Canada's own Stratford, Ontario. Be sure to stay tuned to the CODE website to learn how you can be a part of this momentous event!
AITA/IATA can also be found on Facebook.