Like headmaster, like school......

Beside the impediments inherent to their personal problems, one of the highest hurdles which youngsters from underprivileged backgrounds or with special needs have to overcome is the lack of acceptance from their peers and society altogether. This is still particularly  true in post communist countries where thousands of children and adults were literally banned from society and clustered in homes far away from towns and cities for several decades.

Acceptance and integration are precisely what Community dance projects such as The Firebird ultimately aim at. Consequently, the participating young "artists" ought to come from different backgrounds and schools.

So, off we went in search of High schools interested in joining the project. Our first experiences soon revealed fundamental differences in the Headmasters´ -or headmistresses´ approach towards new concepts and proposals:

It had seemed to us logical to start by addressing a school where dance is a priority. We were soon given to understand that a project like ours, involving such a variety of backgrounds and such a wide age and talent range did not match the school´s profile, and by the way, seemed doomed to fail for these very reasons.

We then went on to a school where social dance is proscribed but neighbourly love a must. We stressed the contemporary dance character of the project, its altruistic and integrational aspects; yet all our endeavours to persuade the headmaster failed.

In both cases, the headmasters were not broadminded enough to perceive all the positive aspects and long term  effects of such a project for the participants on both sides.

Our next target though, was to surprise us all the more: at Liceul I.L. Caragiale, one of Bucharest´s top schools located in an impressive old building, we were welcomed with open arms by  Gabriela Bancila, its young and dynamic Headmistress who right away offered us a partnership, the school´s gym for rehearsals and its cantine for meals. In return, we offered that a group of pupils take part in the project and  we made two successful presentations of it.

At Princess Margareta School - named after King Mihai´s eldest daughter currently living in Bucharest - we encountered the same enthusiasm for our dance project. Here too, a partnership was soon agreed upon with schoolmistress Daniela Turcsany and a dozen youngsters will join in.

Finally we visited the school Nr 2 for children with hearing impairment. At first sight the involvement of youngsters with such an impairment in a music and dance project might seem somewhat strange, but having still in mind a stunning dance performance in a similar school in Belgrade, I thought we should definitely give some of these youngsters a chance to share this experience with other kids.

Mrs Nedeianu´s implication for her school, the friendly atmosphere of the place and the wholeheartedness of the handicraft teacher made a strong impression on me. The openness and enthusiasm of the kids in the classrooms we visited did the rest. We wish to include eight or ten of them in the Firebird performance.

Life is about seizing chances and opportunities for oneself, or, if you are a school director, it is about spotting these opportunities and giving your kids the chance to grab them and grow through them. We are happy we found some school directors who share our goals.

 

Choreographers´team in Bucharest: day 3

Wednesday, April 8.

9.45  Overwhelming welcoming at Liceul Caragiale: 120 boys between 15 and 17 are expecting Royston, Josef and Pete in a packed hall. There we realize what difference it makes if  two choreographers present their contemporary dance project or if it is presented by two ladies -one of them in her sixties - who, whether they want it or not, will convey the impression that the dance project can only be a ballet kind of thing just good enough for sweet little girls dreaming of toe-dancing in pink tutus.......

And here we are: we hardly  have time to get back to the headmistress´s office that three young men are already waiting for us to register for the "contemporary dance" project! 

It´s time now to drive back  to the airport. A very short visit indeed, but long enough for Royston, Josef and Pete to get a feeling of bustling Bucharest and be impressed by the openness, warmth and competence of the young and less young Romanians they met. 

(Just what I have always said and felt!) 

No doubt, they will be back very soon.......

Choreographers´team in Bucharest: day 2

         A. Arnautu, P. Ayres, M. Gruber, J. Eder, R. Maldoom

April 7.

10.00:  Press meeting and interviews with some representatives of radio and television stations as well as magazines focusing on cultural events and programs.

11.30: Short and pleasant visit at the Royal Palace to meet Princess Margarita with whom  a partnership has been established involving her foundation and the state school named after her Royal Majesty.

12.30: quick snack before a tour of the rehearsal premises put at our disposition by Mrs Bancila, the openminded Headmistress of  Liceul Caragiale. Considering the fact that we lack male participants, we decide to take advantage of our "three-male-crew" to make a presentation of the project tomorrow morning exclusively for boys! 

16.00: Meeting at the National Theatre to see the stage and discuss all technical details of stage, light, costumes and stage props. It is fascinating to observe  Pete and the Romanian theatre crew discussing technical details for hours with hands, feet and  drawings punctuated here and there by technical terms, which are - as we all know - international, that is: English!

18.00 Informal meeting where choreographers, organizers, project partners,  journalists, sponsors and  representatives of schools and institutions have the opportunity to get to know each other and exchange  views and informations on the upcoming project.

Choreographers´team in Bucharest: day 1

April 6th, 5 pm: Royston Maldoom and Josef Eder, our Firebird´s choreographers, land  in Bucharest  along with light designer Pete Ayres for 48 busy hours of  meetings,  interviews and encounters.

6 pm: driving straight from the airport through the heavy rush hour traffic, we arrive just on time for the evening prayers at house Sf. Lazar. An important ritual and  an effective way to allow the youngsters to gather their spirits when coming "home" from their day life on the street before getting a warm meal, some clean clothing and a shelter for the night. 

Tonight there are some 60 of them sitting side by side, listening to the day´s scriptures and to the comments prepared by one of them, singing  wholeheartedly and by heart some of the religious songs from their impressive repertoire, naming and praying aloud for their loved ones, their friends, their educators or their family before heading for the dining-room where their peers on duty serve dinner to all of us.

By the way: tonight, they are 60. Tomorrow, they could be 100. You never know exactly. It can depend on so many things: the season, the weather, a friend, a mood. Neither does one know how long they will stay: it could be just one night, or two, or through the entire winter. Concordia´s aim is  give them a chance: a chance to adapt in a community, get a sense of family life, go back to school and change their attitude towards life, if not their entire life. But in spite of all the disadvantages and dangers that the street offers, the attraction of street life and freedom, which they have got used to for weeks, months or years is often much stronger than a warm meal, a bed and a "home"......and they are so used to being ill-treated, disappointed and let down that it is extremely difficult to give them some kind of confidence back, get them to trust others, themselves, and trust life altogether as being able to bring them some positive experience.

And this is exactly what this dance project is about!

Firebird update!

Whoever had a look into the blog lately might have  wondered whether the Firebird had died. I want to reassure you right away: it is healthier than ever!

The fact that two months have gone by since the last update in the blog does not mean that nothing has been happening in the meantime. On the contrary, there has never been as much activity as during the past 8 weeks: after having been on the verge of despair in December and January, Alexandra - the coordinator of the project in Bucharest - and myself  had to deploy a great amount of energy to convince more companies to join the firebird´s adventure and sponsorize it, be it in cash or kind. 

I just came back from three very intensive weeks in Bucharest, Kronstadt and Hermannstadt, the three cities in which a performance of the Firebird will take place (respectively on Sept 5. 7. and 9.)

In the next few days I will report on Maldoom´s short visit to Bucharest with Josef Eder and Pete Ayres and  sum up the results achieved up to this day.