Simon Floodgate made his third visit to Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic on behalf of TAEDS. On this occasion he travelled via the Erasmus staff mobility scheme and deliv
ered a day long workshop on physical drama improvisation games & exercises for stage & classroom, to an integrated deaf-hearing group of Masaryk staff and students.
However, the focus of the visit was on developing further staff and student exchanges with both Masaryk and with the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (JAMU) vi
Following a performance by the deaf students on the JAMU course a meetingwith the teaching faculty for the drama education for the deaf, yielded a strong desire to develop future student exchange visits.a their degree course in drama education for the deaf.
Plans were developed with the Education Faculty of Masaryk University for further staff mobility exchange visits this calendar year with a Czech colleague hoping to visit the IOE in the Autumn of 2013 as well as a return visit to Brno by Simon. This is dependent upon the scheme that will replace Erasmus later this year.
In addition, in his capacity as co-director of the UK School of Playback Theatre, Simon was guest of honour at a Playback performance as part of the Theatre Improvisation Festival in Brno, which happened to coincide with his visit. He talked at length to a captivated audience of, mostly, young Czech theatre practitioners about the history, ethics and intentions of Playback Theatre.
Much was successfully squeezed in to a brief visit!