" I miss the Firebird..."

There are two weeks since the firebird ended and still it's the only thing in my mind. I can't belive that i will never feel that energy again.
I miss everyone and i'm so sorry that i didn't notice earlier how wonderful the people around me were.
We all learned together to laugh, to support each other, to cry...and to love. I couldn't cry after the first show, I couldn't cry when everyone went home...but i cry now when i realize it's over.
I miss all the people I danced with, the choreographers and all those who were there to support us.

This project wasn't only about dance, it was about the relationship between people too. You werw successful in creating a big loving family.

Love to everyone,

Silviana Stinghie

Want to see the Firebird Family? Viv "shot" them all!

click here: Firebird cast and team

thanks to all our photographers!

All along the project, not only dancers had the opportunity of showing their talent: professionals and amateurs did not miss any occasion to make a good shot:

Whether at training, in free time or during performances, Alisa Tarciniu and Daniel Angelescu spent hours on end with us, following our young "artists´"progress and rejoicing with them. They very soon became part of the team; Alisa even travelled with the kids to Sibiu and stayed with them at their summer camp. They "presented" us, in all meanings of the word, with hundreds of magnificent and original photos! We are very grateful for these unique memories and hope to be better clients sometime soon.......

We also want to thank Jürgen Gayder who kindly put his beautiful pyramide at our disposition and Bettina Stoess as well as Sabina Biesterfelod for selling us their artistic pictures;

Congratulations also to all our amateur photographers Viv Trinder, Klaus Gruber, Werner Diterich and Julia Birnbaum for their most original contributions. we want to try and put them all together on our Pasarea website (password:pasarea) in the coming days and weeks. If we succeed, we are sure you will have fun looking at them!

Monique

Tonight Royston is online!

Dear 'Firebird' dancers,

It was a great pleasure to work with you all in Bucharest. I am sure you thought I was a hard taskmaster..always telling you that you could do more..but the performance proved I was right.

You were truly wonderful, and surprised, maybe even shocked, everyone who saw you in the National Theatre.

Your energy and commitment on stage made everything worthwhile and left me with a memory that I will treasure for a long time..as well as a very positive image of young Romanians.

Do not forget what you acheived..continue to respect yourself and others and take the experience with you into your future lives. i hope that this will not be the last opportunity you will have to perform and dance and we are all looking forward to further visits if it is at all possible.

Be strong, value yourselves, and work hard to attain your dreams..in the end you will succeed by your own efforts.
much love to you all,

Royston

Cand se lasa cortina

Cand dupa o luna de stat impreuna, urmeaza ultimul spectacol dupa care… fiecare la treaba lui. Deja nu prea te mai gandesti cum o sa fie ultimul spectacol, cu toate ca trebuie sa fie excelent.Te gandesti ca aia 100 de insi care ti-au fost ca fratii o luna, de maine nu mai sunt langa tine. Eu asta am simtit si majoritatea artistilor dansatori din Pasarea de Foc, cand eram la Sibiu.

Nu conta ca Josef (coregraful) urla ca nebunu, nici ca sala din Casa de Cultura din Sibiu e nici pe sfert ca cea din TNB.
Parca ne parea rau de ultimul spectacol. Dar a fost si a fost super. Aplauze ca la Bucuresti, presa, prieteni… doua telefoane furate.

Cu ce-am ramas… fiecare cu o pasare de foc care s-a trezit in el. Care ii arata ceva si il face sa nu uite momentul cand pasea pe scena. Si momentele cand se pregatea timp de o luna sa faca acei pasi pe scena.
Personal…. am ramas cu 50 de casete care tin in ele pasari de foc. Multe si puternicxe din care voi creea una maaaaaaare. Pasarea de Foc – filmul. Pe 5 decembrie va avea lansarea! Dar pe langa casete am ramas cu acelasi sentiment ca si artistii dansatori. acela de putere prin simplitate, prin comuniune.

Acum 4 luni de zile cand scriam conceptul pentru pachetul video Pasarea de foc, scriam “vom arata ca fiecare are in el o pasare de foc care se trezeste cand comunicam, suntm fericiti, suntem uniti, lucram in echipa”. Nu eram foarte sigur cum o sa arat asta. Totul s-a aratat de la sine. Din prima zi cand i-am luat impreuna cu echipa mea (Vali si Bogdan) din Sibiu si Brasov, am simtit ceva intre ei. Era o raceala usor distanta si in acelasi timp o forta ce ii unea. Majoritatea erau din case de copii. Se simtea spiritul independent, mai comunicativ sau mai individualizat, caracteristic… Dar aveau in ei oul Pasarii de Foc. Nu stiau la ce sa se astepte, umblau fel si fel de zvonuri, era un haos tacut dar unul care tinea in el ceva foarte promitator.

Primele zile au fost de acomodare… Prindeau aripi… se coceau. Contactul cu Josef… ceva nou. Nu erau obisnuiti, nu erau linistiti, obisnuiti in continua miscare… Primele ganduri erau de renuntare, neincredere… Vreau acasa! Nu imi place aici! Mai bine stateam acasa.

Dar am ramas aici toti si am creeat.

Chiar si pentru mine si echipa mea a fost greu la inceput. prima saptamana a fost de razboi cu coregrafii. Am filmat cu lentile fixe si asa ca Vali (Mircea Valentin-operatorul) se baga destul de des printre copii sa surprinda xpresii, chipuri, mimici la prim plan. In fiecare seara eram chemat la rulota (Josef este foarte legat de natura si de energia care i-o transmite aceasta si asa ca locuieste doar in rulota) si omorat la cap ca “copii sunt atenti mai mult la camera, se inhiba etc”. Am rezolvat-o si pe asta si totul a fost ok.

Evoluam. Strans legati. Monique (initiatoarea proiectului), Klaus (nepotul ei-voluntar), Mihaela (tot voluntar), Alexandra si Ada (impreuna cu ajutoarele lor) de la If Magic munceau din greu ca totul sa mearga snur. Si asa a mers.
Serile erau lungi. Eu montam bucatele din ce filmam ziua. Adusesem tot echipamentul de acasa, la Neghinita, unde stateam.Era singurul punct cu o tzar’de internet. Din “Studioul 3″ cum ii pusesem numele camerei unde tineam sculele, a devenit internet cafe. Oricum super tare, o tabara de creatie cu adevarat.

In weekend ne relaxam. multi erau mari amatori de cluburi, altii de hip hop, motiv pentru care i-am dus la Avangard Miuzic sa tragem o piesa intr-un studio profi, Le multumesc baietilor ca ne-au ajutat.

Apoi am mai fost cu ei la Radio Lynx in studio sa inregistram spotul radio. Multam lui Mircea si lui Alex pentru ajutor.
Binenteles ca a fost si colapsul cu foarte multi accidentati dar care pana la spectacol s-au reabilitat…

Contactul cu scena din TNB… pentru unii era prima oara cand paseau intr-un teatru… si acela era TNB… si aceia erau primi pasi DIRECT PE SCENA! Cred ca toti actorii care viseaza la TNB i-ar invidia putin pe artistii nostri. O sansa mare pentru toti.
Se plimbau prin cabine, pe coridoare, ca al ei acasa fara stres, asta mi s-a parut genial… spre usoara disperare a staff-ului tehnic de la TNB.

La spectacol… sala arhiplina, emotii dincolo de cortina. Coregrafii pozitionati bine aveau o tensiune interiaora maaaaare. Eu mi-am dublat echipa de filmare aducandu-i pe George Guy si Cipi cu inca 3 camere ca sa fie treaba treaba.
Spectacolul extraordinar, sute de aplauze pe minute lungi. Iesea lumea in lacrimi din teatru, Aprecierile au fost pe masura.
Pasarea ajunsese la maturitate. Caseele nu imi mai ajungeau sa pot arata cat de colorata si mare e acum!

Multumesc foarte mult echipei mele, lui Vali si lui Bogdan Benea (pe care l-am luat pentru sunet dar a fost un best boy asa adica facea de toate motiv pentru care i-am dat porecla Boncea) Fara voi nu reuseam sa fac filmul asta sunt convins! M-ati suportat inca odata la cel mai mare proiect al nostru de pana acum. Ma bucur ca se largeste echipa, cu oameni buni.

Multumesc lui Cipi si lui Popica (second unit production) ca au fost langa noi si langa copii si ca Cipi …. a facut ….. aaaaaa…….. da asta scriu in alt post

Multumesc si lui Monique si Alexandrei ca au avut incredere in noi si in pretentiile mele si tot ce am cerut de la ele.

Multumesc copiilor si fetelor care mi-au ridicat moralu asistandu-ma in munca mea….. nu serios!

A fost o luna de vis, O mai vreau, mi-e dor de ea si de cei cu care am stat atata timp.
Acum ma apuc de montat filmul. Pana cu pana asa cum si ei au inceput coregrafia. Ii am pe toti in gand si deja ma pregatesc sa ii revizitez.

In Decembrie, Pasarea de Foc – filmul!


September 15, 2009

Tedy Necula

Comments
One Comment on Cand se lasa cortina

Nia on Sat, 19th Sep 2009 2:38 pm

Absolut superb articolul…Si mie mi-e foarte dor.:-<

Dragi nepoti, Bunica nu va uita!

Alalta ieri m-am intors din Romania, cu cap plin de musica lui Strawinskij si de fate frumoase si zimbitoare.........

Am ajuns acasa dupa noua saptamine foarte incarcate si cu atit de experiente si amintire cum ar fi trecut un an intreg.

Am ajuns acasa, dar de fapt, inca n-am ajuns. Ginduri mei se plimb mai departe prin Romania, zbor de la Bucuresti la Ploiesti, si din Brasov pana la Sibiu. Incerc sa me imagin ce s intempla in capele voastre de cand ne am despartit, cum va simtiti, cum a fost inceputul scoalei, sau intoarcere la loc de munca; dar intrebarile mele raman fara raspunsuri.

Daca va uitati la blogul acest, ati vazut ca Stefania a scris impresiele sale la sfirsitul proiectului. Vreau sa stiti ca toti sinteti invitati sa imi scrieti ginduri vostri, si daca vreti, le pot pune la blog sa le impartiti cu celalti. Si poate gasim o solutia pe internet care va permita sa comunicati intre voi. Eu nu me princep bine cu computer, dar poate voi aveti o idea cum am putea sa facem?

Cand am ajuns acasa, am gasit doue vedere postale provenand din prietene ale mele. Ele vreau sa imi doresc si sa VA doresc toate cele bune pentru proiectul inainte sa plec din Germania, dar au ajuns dupa departire meu spre Bucuresti. Amindoue vederele exprim intrun fel acelas gand, un gand care poate nu am stiut sa-l exprim atit de bine, dar foarte asemenator la gand care m-inspirat sa initiez proiectul "vostru", proiectul: "pasarea de foc".


"O calatorie de o mi de kilometri incepe cu UN pas."

Acest primul pas, voi, TOTI, l-ati facut. A fost proiectul pe care l ati facut in aceasta vara. Ati avut curajul chiar daca nu ati stiut de ce e vorba, cine vor fi "celalti" dansatori, ce vati dansa, cat de greu va fi. Ati avut perserveranta, rabdare, toleranta, incredere necesari pentru a merge pana la capat. Ati luptat, transpirat, plins, jurat, cipat, patit, dar ati mers inainte, si mai ales ati reusit.
Si CUM ati reusit : sale arhipline, la teatrul national din Bucuresti ca si la casa de cultura a sindicatelor din Sibiu. Ati reusit sa impresionati publicul, si sa l emotionati, ati reusit sa iesi spectatori plingand din spectacol. Chiar Domnul Caramitru, Director Teatrului National m-a sunat ziua urmatorul si m- a spus ca niciodata n-au iesit atit de lumea plingand din teatrul seu.

Dar stiti si voi de ce ati fost convingatori si de ce spectacolul a fost un mare succes. Si poate uni din voi pot sa imi scriu si sa ma l-explic.

Va doresc sa aveti curaj, si in calatoria voastra de viata, chiar daca drum poate sa va para uneori greu, chiar daca se prezinta ceva nou, chiar daca va pare imposibil.
Dar si sunt convinsa ca VATI avea curaj. Pentru ca de acum stiti ca NIMIC nu este imposibil.

Inainte sa inceapa proiectul, am vrut sa va arat filmul cu Pasarea de foc facut acum doi ani cu copii din Germania. Dar Josef nu a vrut. La inceputul, n-am inteles de ce, dar mai tirziu am inteles. Sunt convinsa ca, daca l-ati fi vazut, ati fi spus ca nu puteti, ca este imposibil. Ati fi spus ca nu stiti sa dansati, ca nu aveti ritmul, ca va vati incurca, obosi, plictisi....

Acum stiti ca puteti, si eu stiu ca puteti TOT ce adevarat vreti in viata voastra. Doar trebuie sa vreti ADEVARAT, cu toata inima, si atunci, puterea si energia va vor da aripe. Si atunci, vati fi surprinsi din posibilitatele ne asteptate pe care le aveti.

Asa ca nu ezitati: orice incepeti, faceti primul pas, este cel mai greu. Celalti vor urmari.

Sa stiti ca si mie a trebui curaj pentru a incepe cu Pasarea de Foc. Doar dragoste pentru tineri romani si incredere in voi au facut sa merg mai departe chiar daca a fost crisa financiara, si sa nu ma dau batuta.
Sa nu va uitati niciodata de minuna pe cara l-ati facuta in vara asta.
Sa va cresc aripe si sa va trag acolo unde alegeti voi sa zborati, egal cat departe este, si cat vint este. Acum stiu ca puteti, si sunt sigura ca stiti si voi!

Si asta e a doila vedere. Poate imi spuneti voi ce va duce aminte cand o priviti.........eu ved multi lucruri care ma amintesc de proiectul nostru. Textul spune: "daca un interprindere va reusi, nu poti sa sti daca doar te gandesti la el, ci doar daca incerci sa-l faci!"


Astept ganduri vostri (sau ca comentar aici, sau prin e mail: wm.gruber€gmail.com) si poate intro zi va spun ganduri mei.

Cu mare drag

Bunica Monica

Multumire tuturor....

Stimata si draga doamnă Monique Gruber,

Cuvintele sunt prea sărace pentru a cuprinde realitatea pe care ne-aţi prezentat-o în seara zilei de 05. 09.2009, în sala Teatrului Naţional. Nici nu ştiu cu ce să încep:

- cu selecţia tinerilor din grupurile vulnerabile;

- cu echipa de maeştri coregrafi care s-au ocupat de coregrafie;

- cu cei care s-au ocupat cu organizarea şi finanţara acestui proiect;

- cu cei care au avut ideea de dans comunitar european, coordonaţi de dumneavoastră;

- cu tinerii care au fost disciplinaţi într-o primă etapă;

- cu „lupta” cu inerţia şi cu reprezentanţii conservatorismului din România care mascând incompetenţa, lenea, neputinţa şi necunoaşterea afirmă, ori de câte ori au ocazia, că aceşti tineri nu-s în stare de nimic, sau că nu se poate face ceva cu ei. IATĂ CĂ SE POATE !!!!!.

- cu efortul vostru care prin perseverenţă aţi demonstrat că se poate realiza imposibilul;

- cu educarea acestor tineri, educare ce a cuprins: înţelegerea conţinutului baletului, înţelegerea muzicii, conştientizarea relaţiei muzică, mişcare şi text

Toate acestea au contribuit la redarea pe scenă a unui fragment din viaţa acestor tineri care, din păcate, nu au mai des prilejul să dovedească acest lucru.

Mulţumim pentru cuvintele de apreciere pentru ţara noastră şi cred că toţi spectatorii au fost emoţionaţi când aţi afirmat(TOTAL DEZINTERESATĂ) că iubiţi România !!!!!!

În nume personal şi cred că sunt în asentimentul multor oameni specialişti în acest domeniu, vă mulţumim că aţi readus în prim plan viaţa socială a acestor copii şi tineri şi ne-aţi oferit un exemplu pe care trebuie, neaparat, să-l urmăm.

Vă rog să transmiteţi domnului Gruber mulţumiri pentru faptul că vă susţine în tot ce faceţi, că este prezent la activităţile pe care le intreprindeţi.

Cu mii de mulţumiri şi cu prietenie constantă, vă salută

familia Margareta şi Mircea VLAD

Indeed, the Firebird lives on...So remain posted!

In the coming weeks, we will post reactions and commentaries from the young artists, more stunning pictures of the performances in Bucharest and Sibiu by Daniel Angelescu and Alisa Tarciniu, news about the "making of" and the DVD of the performance to appear on the market around Christmas, and also links to press reports about the Firebird.

To start with, you can check:

Boris Michael Gruhl

Thomas Wagner

Breandain O Shea

Medana Weident

Monique

The Firebird lives on

The project may be over, but I take away the flame lit by what I have learnt here. It is my hope and feeling that many others share the warmth of the fire. It was such a privilege to be part of 'Pasarea de Foc'.

Viv

Monique and Wilfried

The glamour of the performance is one thing but behind the scenes there have been so many acts of generosity towards the performers - the provision of medical and dental care, clothing, food and drink, and attention 24 hours a day - which have not been fully acknowledged. Our society has debased many things, one of them being the English language. Words such as 'wonderful', 'brilliant', 'exceptional', are freely used for the average, poor or mediocre. I would describe the concept of the 'Firebird' project, and its execution, which was made possible by so many sponsors and volunteers, as the finest act of human concern and kindness I have witnessed. We have all come away from it 'bigger' people.

Fred

We are the Firebird Family

We mustn't let the fire of the Firebird go out. As Monique Gruber wrote earlier in this blog 90 percent of the necessary funds to stage Firebird were raised with the generous support of sponsors and donors.

However, among pending expense, we still need help to complete an important part of the project - the documentary film that follows the journey of everyone involved in this magic experience.

Tedy and his film crew have worked tirelessly to capture every moment of this endeavour. We've all seen the high quality that they can produce - just look at the trailers!

Film making is an expensive process and every euro will help bring the Firebird film to the big screen and show people what our Romanian youngsters were able to accomplish and what many more Romanian youngsters could have a chance to experience in the near future.

On tour

The logistics of taking a company of 130 'copii' on tour to Sibiu are complex....to say the least. Travelling by 2 coaches, a minibus, some by car and yet others by bus, after some 6 hours journey time, we went straight to the theatre on arrival for a rehearsal. A spacing rehearsal had to be completed for Pete to complete his lighting plan. Crestfallen to see the smaller stage and all the further work that would entail, the cast became restless and more stroppy than ever before. For me it was the worst day of the entire project.

However, the next day, was another story. Everyone had decided to pull together to make the show the best ever. And so it was.

Beautiful, spectacular and energetic for sure, but, most of all, memorable for the way the youngsters worked together. Marian, our young star, was feeling sick as he was about to go on stage and unable to do so. Lucian immediately stepped into his role without being asked. Our Firebird, herself feeling somewhat unwell, swept up this bigger boy in her arms, without any sign of noticing the change. The oranges, which did not roll to the side of the stage as anticipated, were retrieved by the professional reaction of one of the performers, who came on stage acting his part. I know the audience was unaware of any problems. The performers were fully involved in the performance and wanting only to help each other. For me that was the success of the entire project.

Viv

The Premiere

The pace hots up as we transfer to the Teatru Nationale in Bucharest. Tension as deadlines with costumes, with spacing on stage, with lighting, props and last minute adjustments, are met - just. The rehearsal space in the sports hall had been measured out in such a way that the youngsters adapted easily to the move. However, they were really impressed by this imposing theatre and somewhat daunted by the realisation that Pasarea de Foc would actually happen here in front of 1200 spectators.


For most this was to be their first visit to a theatre and they were coming not as spectators but as performers. Professsional artists. With their own dressing rooms - where so many famous Romanian actors had prepared before them. Heavy curtains changing the acoustics. Brilliant lighting effects that created a new, magical atmosphere. Pete heading a large team had worked so hard to make it happen. Special effects creating smoke and yet another mood. The youngsters' acting role enhanced and facilitated by these additions.


To calm the nerves familiar exercises. Breathing. Stretching movements. Alone. Standing tall. And the inspirational exercise to end - all walking slowly in whatever direction, focusing on making brief eye contact with fellow artists as they passed each other, all to the now tear-jerking music of Amazing Grace. A final winding down and an exhortation to prepare mentally in the remaining minutes to give the best performance.

A carefully crafted preparation for the performance of a lifetime.

And that is what they gave. An awesome, energetic, joyful tour de force, that left the audience amazed at the professionalism of the performance per se and especially given the social composition of the group. Many were left speechless, many were in tears.


The Director of the Teatru Nationale for 8 years, former Minister of Culture, himself a great actor, said he had never witnessed so many people leaving the theatre in tears and in silence after a performance; as for Horai Andreescu, Conductor of the Bucharest Radio Orchestra, he said he could not believe the main actors were not professionals; Royston and Josef told the cast it was the best performance yet and that they had made the piece their own by improvising professionally to cover unexpected glitches. That they had worked together as one team.

And wasn't that the original objective of the whole project?

Viv

Despartirea este cea mai grea

Dupa ultima repetitie Josef ne-a spus sa ne uitam adanc in ochii celor cu care am lucrat in aceste 5-6 saptamani. In momentul acela nu am luat acest lucru in serios. Unii da,si au inceput sa planga in hohote.Eu am inteles de abia cand a venit momentul despartirii ce vroia Josef sa spuna.Atunci cand colegii mei au coborat din autocar la Ploiesti,o parte din mine a murit. M-a sfasiat ingrozitor acel moment.Chiar si acum cand scriu acest post imi curg lacrimi pe obraji. Despartirea de cei care mi-au fost familie pentru 6 saptamani a fost cel mai greu lucru din tot acest proiect.Nu cele 6 ore de antrenament pe zi,nu nenumaratele repetitii,nu frigul indurat in noptile petrecute la Sibiu,nu drumul obositor Bucuresti- Sibiu. Toate aceste lucru pier in fata despartirii de ei..Ii iubesc sincer..Pe toti..Toti simtim asta. Am fost un grup foarte omogen si ne-am inteles foarte bine si vom tine legatura.Chiar am vorbit aseara cu cei din Bucuresti sa mergem la cei din Ploiesti pentru ca tinem foarte mult unii la altii.Niciodata nu m-am atasat atat de mult de cineva.


Tot acest proiect a fost o experienta incredibila si sper sa aibe continuitate.Schimba complet vietile celor implicati,insa cred ca schimba si mentalitatile celor care ne privesc spectacolele.

In urma celor doua reprezentatii de la Bucuresti si Sibiu,spectatorii au iesit plangand din sala. Inseamna ca proiectul si-a atins scopul si ca a atins sufletele spectatorilor.

A fost o experienta foarte emotionanta si sunt foarte fericita ca am fost printre artisti.

Stefania Ciuca

Change

"How did the kids change?"

Diese Frage wurde mir wiederholt in Interviews gestellt. Ich habe regelmäßig gesagt, soo sehr haben sie sich gar nicht verändert.

An dieser Stelle möchte ich mich ein wenig korrigieren.

Es ist richtig, daß wir zu Beginn des Projektes eine heterogene Gruppe mit "ganz normal unterschiedlichen" Jugendlichen angetroffen haben, die alle in Ordnung waren. Das sind sie immer noch. Unterschiedlich und in Ordnung.

Aber es haben sich tiefe Freundschaften gebildet und wir sind deutlich näher zusammengerückt. Knapp sechs Wochen, every hour, every minute, every second...

Wie haben wir uns also verändert?

Ich glaube, durch das, was wir tun und lassen entscheiden wir dauernd, wer und was wir sind. So gesehen verändern wir uns durch Tun und Lassen dauernd.

Wir haben hier etwas ganz anders getan als normalerweise. So gesehen sind wir ein paar Schritte in eine neue Richtung gegangen. Und es hat uns (beinahe) allen sehr gut gefallen.

Bleiben wir doch in dieser Richtung unterwegs!



Besonders gravierend ist, wie sehr wir uns vertrauen.

Vor dem Theater in Sibiu haben mich die Kinder in die Luft geworfen. Für den Bruchteil einer Sekunde hatte ich einen Schreck. Doch dann wußte ich: Die werden mich nie fallen lassen. Ich habe meine Flüge genossen.

Vertrauen fühlt sich sehr gut an!

Das haben die Jugendlichen auch erfahren.

Für viele schien es eine neue Erfahrung zu sein.

Old habits die hard! Alte Gewohnheiten wird man schlecht los!

Wir werden in den sechs Wochen nicht alle Gewohnheiten geändert haben. Aber es ist - wie gesagt - ein Richtungswechsel.

Hier fortzuschreiten liegt an uns allen. Haben wir Zuversicht und Vertrauen in diese Jugendlichen! Das zahlen sie uns zigfach zurück!

I am very, very proud on my youngsters here, it was a pleasure for me to work with them and an honor to be part of their progresses and success!!!

Multumesc forte mult!

Klaus

"Oh, wie ist das schön! Oh, wie ist das schön!

So was hat die Welt noch nicht geseh'n, so schön, so schön..."

Die Aufführungen in Bukarest und Sibiu waren phantastisch!


Aber der Reihe nach; ich kam ja schon eine Weile nicht mehr zum Berichten...

In der Woche vor der Aufführung in Bukarest kam Royston. Er traf auf eine "dance company", die von Josef ausgezeichnet vorbereitet worden war. Beeindruckt hat er uns alle mit der Klarheit seiner Vorstellung davon, wie es zu sein hat. Seine Analyse, was noch getan werden muß, um diese zu verwirklichen, ist vollkommen prägnant und präzise. Beides vermag er eindeutig und mitreißend zu vermitteln. So gibt er dem ganzen Projekt "auf der Zielgeraden" noch einmal einen enormen Schub.

Dann ist am vergangenen Samstag der Tag der Aufführung gekommen. Das Abschlußtraining hat es in sich. Josef fordert die Gruppe auf, die letzten Wochen Revue passieren zu lassen; jeder für sich; wem er dankbar ist; bei wem er sich evtl. entschuldigen sollte; warum er das ganze gemacht hat; frei im Raum sich bewegend - den Raum der anderen respektierend. -

Nach einigen Minuten schließen sich die Kinder alle zu einem großen Kreis zusammen. Sie halten sich an den Händen und die meisten weinen. - Was für ein emotionaler Moment!

Mein kleiner Freund Petrika etwa, der seine Sympathie in den gesamten Wochen zuvor durch Grobheit auszudrücken versuchte, schließt mich weinend in die Arme - und umarmt mich ganz SANFT!!! Unerhört bewegend!

Es folgt eine triumphale Aufführung, die mit wohl viertelstündigem stehendem Beifall honoriert wird.


Der Jubel der Youngster "backstage" anschließend ist gigantisch.

Anschließend gibt es eine etwas beschwerliche Reise nach Sibiu und zermürbende Trainingseinheiten auf der viel kleineren Bühne, an die das Stück angepaßt werden muß.

Die Kinder meistern alles mit Bravour!

Selbst als unser Hauptdarsteller Marian nicht auf die Bühne kann, weil er sich verbrannt hat, sich später noch übergeben muß, springen spontan "Vertreter" ein, und lassen das Publikum nichts merken. Spontan und selbständig lösen sie die Probleme.

Auch diese Aufführung ist ein großer Erfolg.

Danach geht es zur rauschenden Feier in einen Club.

"Oh, wie ist das schön! Oh, wie ist das schön!"

Klaus

This experience changed me completely!

The past 5 weeks were absolutely amazing and I say this with all my heart. I met many friendly people and we became nearly best friends. It's true, there have been some arguments over these weeks, but in the show night we all helped each other to perform perfectly and to give to the audience the greatest show that they had ever seen.

After the show from Bucharest we all started to cry because we realized that the end was coming. We will never experience the feelings that we all felt during this project. Even thought we were rude at the beginning of the project, after a while we learned how to behave better and to focus on the instructions that Josef was giving to us.


I never felt more alive than in the night of the big show. I was full of energy and of passion. On stage, I felt like a celebrity. I was on the most important stage of Bucharest. That's a huge deal!

This experience changed me completely! I had great fun with the children. They all seemed to love me. I love them too :)

As a conclusion, The Firebird project will always have a special place in my heart and I will never forget this experience and the things that I learned during the past 5 weeks. Thank you for the most beautiful period of my life.

Stefania Ciuca

P.S.: I admire a lot Ms. Monique Gruber and Josef Eder and I wish them all the best.

Last rehearsals before the big performance

It was meet the press time for the Firebird Team yesterday.

Royston talked about the difference a dance project such as Firebird can make in the lives of young people.



And here's a look at a few excerpts from the great Firebird film crew.



We're all very excited. Today is the first rehearsal in the theatre and everyone is curious to see how their costumes fit.

Dear Pete

Despite irredeemable shortcomings as an Arsenal supporter, you are an angel. A gentleman, always courteous - an Englishman (and a Londoner) - you have great technical knowledge that has saved my bacon (as sound engineer!) more than once! Thank you.
Good humoured and calm, Pete is just lovely! Pete has been here for ten days to plan a tailor-made scheme for the lighting and sound. I look forward to seeing the effects.

Viv

The Maestro arrives

Josef’s co-choreographer, the great Royston Maldoom, whose work I already knew from the DVD, ’Rhythm is it’ -and also from his live performance of the Rite of Spring, accompanied by the Berliner Philarmoniker conducted by Sir Simon Rattle in Berlin- worked today with the youngsters alongside Josef. Two great and complementary personalities with the same passion to create a memorable and professional show. This is to be no kids’ show, where the participants simply have fun but a spectacle that will excite and amaze.


Each and every one is to contribute to the whole by putting 100% energy into his role, by remembering his part in the story line, imagining the feelings and conveying them clearly to the audience through the face - especially the eyes - as well as the body’s movements.


Throughout the performance there is to be 100 % concentration and preparedness to move, whether on stage or not. The art of stagecraft.

Yes, the Firebird will be performed in just four days time. I don’t believe that fact has yet dawned on the young people! Only when they leave the familiar sports hall ‚theatre’ to rehearse in the main theatre in Bucharest will the penny really drop.

Viv