King’s Academy freshman Jenna Sharaf ’19 attended a theater festival workshop hosted at Amman Baccalaureate School recently to hone her performing arts skills and meet fellow theater enthusiasts from different schools in Jordan.

The three-day workshop was offered by the International Schools Theater Association (ISTA), a UK-based ensemble of international artists and educators who aim to empower students through art. Attendees came from several schools in Jordan, including the American Community School, International Academy Amman and the International Community School, as well as one school from Egypt.

Students enjoyed a trip to the Roman Amphitheater “for inspiration” and were later divided into groups with their designated ISTA mentors to learn about different techniques that included physical performance, music and spoken word. The event culminated in a final performance that drew from different aspects of the life of famed Sufi poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi – the central theme of the workshop.

 “I really liked the idea of performing with professionals,” Sharaf said. “I’ve always heard about Rumi’s poems I ended up enjoying them. It was very interesting and a great learning experience for me.”