Observatorul Cultural, The Firebird – opportunity and role model

On April 7th, at the George Enescu Hall in Hilton Hotel, Bucharest, we gathered for the press conference that launched a project realized by the British artist and choreographer Royston Maldoom and initiated by Monique Gruber, philologist, wife of the German ex-Ambassador in Romania. As we learned from the project’s press conference, the selected young people, aged between 11 and 22, will come from Primary schools, Secondary schools, special schools and humanitarian organizations from Bucharest and other cities in the country. The show in question has a strong pedagogic, social and educational side, since its protagonists are not professionals. From this point of view we are presented with a premiere in Romania, given the event’s proportions.

Thanks to the intense rehearsals, under the guidance of the named choreographers (and their assistants: two from Romania and one from Columbia) that lasted several weeks, the heterogeneous group will become a true dance company. At the end of their training period, the participants will have the chance to perform to a high professional standard, just like in the case of other projects conducted by Maldoom in Berlin, New York or Luxembourg. It is important that the event staged during “George Enescu” Festival must not remain singular, but become the starting point of a long-term plan. This is Royston Maldoom’s philosophy, that all young people are potential artists, and art, especially dancing, represents a way of transforming society and, at the same time, a chance for the young.

Author: Mihai Plamadeala