WAB teachers and students traveled to Yokohama, Japan, for workshops and symposiums on dance and theater.

Theater Teacher Tom Knight and Dance Teacher Kelly Wadlegger accompanied six Grade 11 students to the Theater Arts Symposium held by the International Schools Theater Association.

Students from eight schools came together to focus on the details of their International Baccalaureate (IB) Theater course, take master classes in Japanese theater forms of Butoh, Noh and Kyogen. They also had the chance to watch two specially commissioned performances.

At the same time, teachers took classes as part of the IB Cat 3 theater training. Led by Mike Pasternak, who has taught IB Theater since the program's conception in Geneva, the teachers analyzed traditional and unfamiliar concepts in theater and how to apply them to create plans for the students.

An international event, the workshop lessons were presented in the context of cross-cultural understanding. Leaders stressed the importance of not appropriating another culture or being insensitive to those who may be unfamiliar with foreign values or concepts.

"Through the study of theatre, students become aware of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theatre practices, their processes and their modes of presentation," according to the IB website. "It enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theatre across time, place and culture and promotes international-mindedness."

"It was excellent," Kelly said of the teacher workshops. "We learned so much that we can and will apply to theater and dance!"

Since this visit to Japan, WAB dancers have traveled to Manila for an international dance festival, where they premiered their "Towards a Natural State of Being" number. The team will perform once again at the High School Dance Showcase on December 9 at 7pm.

Dance fans can look forward to more incredible theatrics when WAB hosts the 2015 Asia Pacific Activities Conference Theater event, the biggest annual regional gathering of its kind, from February 25-28, 2015.