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.

"Incet, incet"....Slowly but surely!

Four further European companies operating in Romania have now joined the project with generous contributions:

This year, the Fundatia Vodafone, which deals with Romanian children in need, happens to be focusing on music and sport  and luckily, our project happens to combine both! 

E.ON Gaz is also stepping in, warming our hearts, while Carpat Cement will consolidate the project´s fundaments.

PLUS came with the excellent news that they would provide the food for the children´s daily meals throughout the project. A terrific offer, knowing how hungry they will all be after six hours of rehearsal. Just trying to figure out the amounts needed was frightening enough.

We do not even want to think about the amounts of water that will be needed to quench the thirst of some one hundred kids sweating in the glowing  Bucharest heat...

Progress report

Claiming that all the project´s pending costs can already be covered at this stage would be an overstatement. The search for sponsors turned out to be much more arduous than initially expected. Since last summer,  more than 70 applications were sent to companies, foundations, as well as Romanian Ministeries, authorities and institutions and we are still waiting and hoping for some answers.

Nevertheless, we can now reassure the youngsters who are so much looking forward to this exciting experiment: the project will take place. On September 5th they will stand on the stage of the Teatrul National Caragiale in Bucharest for the première, and will leave the next day for two more performances in the province, probably Brasov and Sibiu.

Corporate social responsibility

Although the original idea of "Corporate Social Responsibility" in Europe goes all the way back to the middle ages, it is only since the nineteen fifties that it became the object of scientific research in the United States. Due to  the fact that Europe had a longer tradition of social responsibility and a more developed social system,  it was only in 2001 that the European Union published a document with basic guidelines for Corporate social responsibilities of companies.

At the November meeting of the Deutsch-Rumänische Industrie- und Handelskammer in Bucharest,  Mr H. Eichler, Managing Partner at Mazars Hemmelrath pointed out the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for our societies in today´s world.

"CSR concerns us all because it reflects the key values of our society.  Still, it concerns companies more because it permits them to do business over long periods of time, but it mostly concerns all individuals who work with and for companies as it helps them create a more attractive and high-quality working environment.  Nevertheless, it also concerns company clients that ever oftener decide on making acquisitions in consideration of social and ecologic factors.  Likewise, CSR concerns the people nearby company's location, who are interested in having their values and thoughts shared by the neighbouring company.  It concerns investors and owners who consider that responsible entrepreneurial business should be stimulated. 

Last but not least, CSR concerns our children, the future generations just as the older, neglected, generations in countries like Romania, who wish to live in a world where human beings and nature are held in high regard." 

Good news at last!

After an almost three months silence due to parlamentary elections in Romania, the Christmas Break and last not least, the economic situation world wide, we are back on the net with  good news: after a life threatening illness, the "FireBird" has now successfully been saved.

But before going into details about this arduous recovery process, we feel it is more than time to wish our project´s supporters, friends and readers a successful 2009 in spite of all gloomy predictions. Follow the motto "Don´t worry, be happy" and for this purpose.....

   

             .......DANCE WITH US!

We have to admit that we either did not choose the most propicious moment for realizing our dance project, or that the economic crisis did not occur at the right time. 

However, thanks to ABB Romania, the very first company to have joined us in the FireBird´s adventure, thanks to the support of the Goethe Institute in Bucharest and of all the association´s friends, we have remained confident, keeping in mind Obama´s convincing words: "Yes we can!", a motto which a few companies thankfully seem to keep in mind, even in  these hard economic times. 

Self confidence

„You can all do it. You must just want!“

Maldoom is convinced of it, although he has just entered the rehearsal room and sees the children for the first time; he knows it, because that´s how it has been in each of the round 300 projects he has realized around the globe in the past 30 years.

For many of the youngsters, his introductory remark is like a blow in the face; one more, but this time, a blow of a new kind: Could it be that somebody believes in me?

And sure enough, when expression and communication meet, self confidence is only a matter of time, who knows, may be just the time of the project?

Didn´t Maldoom assert in one of his projects that  

          „you can change your life in a dance class?"

Indeed, chances are that sustained effort  followed by several successful performances will have a lasting impact on a number of kids.

Mind you, we should  not expect a spectacular change right after curtain-fall. It won´t be  as palpable, as solid and concrete as the house newly erected  by your nextdoor neighbour; but an experience of such intensity is bound to leave its mark on each child.

After all, the house next door wasn´t built in one day either; what such a project gives to the youngsters is a pile of solid bricks for the  most fascinating construction: 

the shaping of an individual with character, open to new experiences and strong enough to resist to the current or better still, to swim against it.

 SIBIU 2007

The theatre group "Sfintul Ignatiu" composed of 15 children, aged 4-18 is invited for the second year in a row to present a performance rehearsed under the benevolent lead of producer Liana Ceterchi

Community Dance = Expression + Communication

In the last decades, family and social relations have changed dramatically. Back then, village life was punctuated by public festivities where the inhabitants met to sing or dance. More recently,

Royston Maldoom and Josef Eder have set out to give community dance its past glance back.

Music is a universal language and so is dance. Gather  a hundred youngsters in a hall, dress them alike to conceal their background and elaborate a choreography  to a given piece of music with them. If you have the right approach and know-how they will soon  feel more free to express themselves.

Differences in background and skills will gradually fade away and give way to more acceptance, tolerance and communication between them. And once they get the feeling that they are ONE group  with the same goal and that the only way to get there is to work together, you have reached a win-win situation.

Ex-pression

               "Youth without aging and life without death" 

                  International Theater Festival Sibiu 2007

Communication implies, or even requires the participation of one or more persons  to com-municate with; expression is the sine qua non condition and the first step towards communication; but inversely expression, being primarily a personal search, can make do with just oneself.

Whether you draw, dance, doodle, sing, swing or write sonets, you respond to a deeply felt need: that of expressing your body or soul´s feelings of the moment, be it joy, anger, pain, sadness or love. Whatever you do, it is art, at least for yourself and this is what counts.

                 „Children are artists“

For Maldoom all children  have hidden talents. His job is to help them „ex-press“ their abilities, their feelings.

No wonder then, that he chose to act in war and crisis regions, in prisons, to work with street youngsters and children with special needs; indeed, the stronger the pressure, the deeper the need to "get it out".

Communication

Bucharest-Christmas 2005

Mariuca, an amazing 80 year young Romanian lady "acting" in a Christmas play as the grandmother these children never had

Man´s best asset is communication; after food and drink his most vital need is to share with others his thoughts, his feelings, his activities.

But isn´t it sad and paradoxical, that precisely the century of communication should generate isolation? Maldoom and his team are fighting against it: Community dance is their answer.

Mobile phones, internet, television and advertizing are all means of communication. They use communication; but they abuse it, and above all their users, by depriving them of their most precious ability: genuine communication and exchange. 

A familiar scene: a bunch of youngsters is sitting at a coffee shop, each of them involved in a lively telephone conversation with an absent buddy, when he could have a „real“ exchange with a friend he has at hand; or a mother pushes a pram -mind you, with a child in it- a mobile phone plugged in her ear, when she could be discovering the world anew with her child´s eyes.

You feel like telling them all: hey, you are here, not there! 

Royston Maldoom and Josef Eder will bring them with both feet back on the floor: Focus!

"Firebird" heading for Bucharest

I am now back from a hard work´s fortnight in Bucharest, but happy to say that the results achieved have exceeded our expectations.

Thanks to our very devoted team composed of Margareta Vlad, Oana Davidescu and Cristina Serafim (all three working at the German Embassy), Elena and Aurel Vlad (both sculptors) and last but not least Alexandra Arnautu, the newly hired and enthusiastic local coordinator of our project, we can now say that the project WILL take place.

And here are the latest news:

Josef Eder, one of the project´s two leading choreographers, travelled to Bucharest to spot locations and get to know some children, educators and the project team. He was very enthusiastic but I shall ask him to post his first impressions on this blog himself very soon.

Together we selected two Romanian dance teachers to assist him and Royston Maldoom during the rehearsals.

The participation of Romanian professionals in this project is essential for its sustainability. Indeed, one of our aims is to trigger further similar projects for underprivileged youths in Romania in the next years.

By the way, this aspect is also one of the main conditions for Maldoom and Eder´s participation in any new project, since they wish to act as catalysts for the spreading of community dance.

In order to be well prepared  for the oncoming project,  Catalina Gubandru and Irina Roncea, our new assistants, will be sent  by Caritas Vienna and our association "Jungen Rumänen eine Chance!"  to a one-week community dance workshop to be held  by several choreographers in Vienna next week. One of them will be Royston Maldoom. We are looking forward to reading their report on this blog as soon as they return.

First Romanian company steps in

DC Communication, a young and dynamic Bucharest Architecture Studio and Communications company is eager to promote community spirit and to have an impact on Romanian society. The company´s director, Mr Frolu, spontaneously agreed to support us for the promotion of our project. This gave us a big boost and we are looking forward to collaborating with him and his team.

100 kids to dance on National Theatre stage

We now have a firm date and location for the Firebird première: Mr Ion Caramitru, director of the Teatrul National Caragiale, is giving us the opportunity to perform in  his theatre on September 5th 2009. If the budget allows it, this first performance will be followed by a tour in the province the following week.

For her part, Mrs Gabriela Bancila, Headmistress of the Liceul I.L.Caragiale,   has offered her high school´s sport premises and cantine for the one-month rehearsals in August 2009.

German companies enthusiastic about the project

The precious advice of the  German-Romanian Chamber of industry and Commerce´s President and Executive Director, Mr. Merica and Mr. Walde, of Mr. Stein from Stein & Partners and of Mr. Simon from ABB Romania enabled us to contact a number of companies operating in Romania.

Several German companies have already promised  their financial support. As soon as their sponsoring has been confirmed, they will appear on our sponsors´ list on this blog.

Other companies and hotels would like to make contributions in kind such as food, catering, costumes, accomodation or transportation.

Hunting for sponsors in Bucharest

I am leaving for Bucharest to move the project forward and try to convince German and Romanian companies to sponsor our project. Not an easy task in these rather somber days, considering the dooming international financial situation.

But as Romanians say "nu ne dam batuti" (we do not give up). And if they don´t, how could we let them down?

In the starting blocks

                   Franky Das and Claudia Czurda´s original 100 € origami donation

First private donations are starting to flow into the association´s account.
We cannot stress enough the importance of the moral or financial support and the trust given to our association by private persons and friends at a time when the association disposes of a bank account but not yet of donations from companies.

Without the many friends and supporters "de la première heure", the first steps of the project could not have been carried out. Their donations contributed to finance the choreographer´s trip to Bucharest, the participation of the Romanian assistants at the Vienna workshop and are covering other already running expenses for the first stage of the project. 

We deeply appreciate all the generous contributions we have already received. A regular look at this blog will convince the donors that we are making the best use of their money.

Überlingen VR 870

We finally made it!

After six months of paper work, several comings and goings between the tax office and the local tribunal, two minor changes in the association statute´s text and three board meetings, the association "Jungen Rumänen eine Chance!" has been reccognized as "charitable" association and has now found its place  in the register of German associations. 

How long would it have taken without the precious help of Gisbert Reel, a  lawyer and  cousin who redacted the statute, kept contact with the local authorities and did not let loose until the final OK was given!

As a matter of coincidence, our project documentation could also be completed today thanks to the competence and efficiency of  Ingrid Huber, an enthusiastic  young free lance graphic designer here in Überlingen.

This documentation is intended for  companies and private persons interested in this project and  wishing  to  support it. Should you like to have it sent to you  by mail, you just need to post a comment to this blog with your mail address and briefly explain the reasons of your interest for the project. 

Who knows? Besides helping to shape the destiny of a hundred underprivileged kids, you might  be interested in cutting down your company´s taxes or your own income taxes as well? Give it a think and contact us!