I took part at the Festival of Social Theaters for the first time in 2012, in Samara. We had an educational program on the use of the theatrical techniques, and after that we watched the performances of the young people participating in the Festival.
I was astonished by these adolescents who were courageous enough to talk about the important issues and to engage in a dialogue. And they were the teams from the remote settlements of Russia!!! Not bold metropolitans, not daring city youngsters, but ordinary provincial guys. It was stunning, and at that moment I decided what it was a sign that I would be able make it, too. I decided: "There will be a social theater in Kazan!!!" By the way, I put the idea off for almost 2 years, but at the end of 2014 the social theater "Chainik" started off, and it's been living by today.
In 2013, I was invited to the International Festival of Social Theaters. My colleague and I delivered a workshop in English. It was a great experience of interacting with the people of other cultures based on the common topics. When the boundaries in our minds disappeared, and we got engaged in the process of co-creation. I'm really grateful that I had such an experience.
2020 will be a next step! Now I am part of the Festival organizing team, and my theater team will participate. It will be a new era of our development. I'm looking forward to it :)