LIKE A FILM IN MY MIND YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME

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“When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a
European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it
is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of
mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by
tradition, it breeds violence. So a man who is seeking to understand
violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any
political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total
understanding of mankind.” Jiddu Krishnamurti

From March 28th – 31st a whole host of organisations, young people, artists, musicians and others came to Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina to develop cultural activities together.  A full report is available below and the short film by Robert Golden is on this web site.  It was an extraordinary and vital 4 days in which over 400 people of all ages participated and proved without any doubt whatsoever that culture and the arts brings a community alive, fills people with hope and adds to the economy of a small town.

From a youth leader 23, Srebrenica, BiH,
It is hard to put in words, how I’ve felt after arriving to my home-town on Friday night. By the time I arrived you’ve already shaken the community to its core and I knew something special is happening. My Tina was reporting to me about magical things and how many people are enjoying their time and about the energy being spread around the town and amongst the people.. I simply wanted to thank you for everything. I thank you for taking the time of your busy schedules and coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina to share your ideas, creativity, open minds and energy. It is invaluable experience and unique sense of belonging to something bigger then we all are. I thank you for judgmental-free approach, for your warm hearts and good will you brought with yourself. I thank you for good chats and fantastic laughter….

Milena Nikolic President of the Youth Council, Mollie Foster and Aleksandra Jovanovic at the Youth Centre in Srebrenica

I also wanted you to know that regardless on commitments you might have or haven’t made during this period, this experience alone has shown how powerful human will is, and how people, despite of different backgrounds, cultures and histories share the same vision and the unique language of basic generosity and humanity which I, and I believe many others, desperately need to believe in again. On my way back to Sarajevo I was thinking how much good was done in only 2 days, let alone in 4 and imagine how much more in 10 days can be done….prioritizing life rather then death, children and laughter rather than looking back and education and culture rather than holding grudges has fulfilled my and senses of everybody involved in one way or another on unimaginable way.

The report of LAFIMM can be found here :-LAFIMM Short Review (2.1)

 
Forum Theatre process led by Ljubica Ristic and Daisy Dugmore
For me personally it was very important that every single person in this process was acknowledged for its uniqueness and difference and was taken into the group as a part of something joyful and massive. We in fact do not need to be the same, rather on contrary, its important to enrich and embrace each others in our differences while respecting other people’s liberties as someone smart already said.  I was reminded one more time whats important and thank you for digging it up one more time and inspiring me to look up to the things you and so many other people are doing around the globe. I wish my English is better but I somehow hope that at least a simple Thank You From The Bottom Of My Heart – is understood.  I hope to see some of you again, have cup of coffee or tea, or why not rakija :)
Millie Langdon, Molly Foster and Katy Bird from Sir John Colfox School presenting the Bridport Town Shield to the Biljana Rakic, Deputy Mayor of Srebrenica from the Mayor and Mayoress of Bridport on behalf of the Town and its people.

So far we know that over 3,025,000 people heard about the project through Radio Free Europe, the British Council BiH, Opera Circus and other partner web sites, twitter, Facebook and other media outlets.  Please spread the word.

Children at the elementary school in Srebrenica learning how to be a good audience

With thanks to all the official partners, the Youth Council and Youth Centre Srebrenica BiH Teater Mimart, Serbia, Theatre Maska, Romania, Crea Thera, Belgium, Netherlands and Srebrenica, from Dorset, Departure Arts, Dorset County Council, British Red Cross, Education and Humanities, Sir John Colfox School, Bryanston School, and with Prodigal Theatre UK, Nigel Osborne, Tony Pesikan, Claude Kieffer, Robert Golden for all the beautiful photography and film.  In Srebrenica, the Municipality, the Elementary and High Schools, Potocari Music School and Bauern Helfern Bauern, Leptir, Association for Handicapped Children, SARA, The Cultural Centre, Srebrenica, Orchidea and the school at Skelani, the High School at Bratunac, and the Elementary Schools at Zutica and Zvornik. To all the team at the Youth Centre in Srebrenica for their amazing hard work and energy and to Fetus for their constant inspiration through youth theatre.

Nigel Osborne making music as always

The workshop leaders, facilitators, teachers and artists Nigel Osborne, Toni Pesikan, Darren Abrahams, Daisy Dugmore, James Piriou, Katy Scott, Ruth Eastwood, David Powell, Nela Antonovic, Ljubica Beljanski-Ristic, Claude Kieffer, Calin Sabic, Florentine Dadal, Alister O’Laughlin, Miranda Henderson, George Nickson, Rosie Russell.

There are too many young people to mention everyone but in particular Jelena, Nemanja, Casper, Ben, Filip, Aleksandra, Maja, Verica, Tanja, Tina, Rory, Ruaraidh, Katy, Millie, Abraham, Amela, Molly, Charlotte, Nino, Hariz, Vesna, Denis…..I will add the rest and more news later.  Thank you to all of you.

The Youth Centre Team in Srebrenica organising the project together

We would like to thank Poul Smidt the Political Advisor from the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina and European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina for coming to have lunch in Srebrenica on his day off and for giving an interesting and human perspective on the importance of young people believing in the future of the EU.

Lunch at Bato’s with Mr. Smidt and the young cultural leaders from BiH and the UK

Thank you also for the interest and time given by the H.E. Ambassador Nigel Casey from the British Embassy in Sarajevo and the Director of the British Council in Sarajevo Amila Lagumdzija.

We would also like to thank everyone in Srebrenica for their hospitality in particular Abdullah and Avdo at the Pansion Misriljie and to the restaurants Bato and Omer’s.  Thank you to all the taxis and drivers for their kindness and efficiency and in particular to Dragan and his team at www.taxis.rs and to Vlada for his immense patience in helping us to organise all our travel from Via Connect, Vladimir Zivkovic
Via Connect, Svetozara Markovica 68, 11000 Beograd, mob: 063 333009 aviokarte@gmail.com

All film and photography by Robert Golden http://theatreimages.org

Watch this space for the film about Like a Film in My Mind…coming soon

” the content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the publisher and that the European Commission is not liable for any use that maybe made of the information.”

Cultural Diplomacy Connects People

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http://www.culture.info/connecting-people-through-cultural-diplomacy-in-india/?utm_source=wysija&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=63

Nigel Osborne making music at Vidya Sagar Chennai

In a world torn apart by conflict, culture can serve as a way to connect with people who might otherwise be at bitter odds.

The Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Suresh Kumar Goel, has made it a point to use cultural diplomacy to fill in the blanks left empty by more politicised approaches.

“Cultural diplomacy is more effective at a basic level, because, unlike other forms, it can be non-intrusive, non-competitive, and can be done without threatening the other side,” Goel, a 1978- batch IFS officer, said.

“The idea of diplomacy is to develop understanding between nations. And the prerequisite of that is for people to talk to each other.”

Goel described the experience of the United States in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, which changed their approach towards the world.

“What can happen is that, when there is a situation of conflict, it can involve prejudices on either side, based on their individual value systems,” he added.

But what happened was that the US became obsessed with Islamic radicalisation, which led to more militancy.

“Now people are looking to a more inclusive approach, one not based on the clash of civilisations.”

Goel is heading the Council presently, which was conceptualised by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as a way to expose Indians Indians to the world culture while also giving the world an opportunity to experience Indian traditions.

“Cultural diplomacy goes beyond just being ‘a bridge between peoples.’

“Instead, it promotes strong linkages,” Goel said.

Particularly in places where there might be a question of conflict, he said that cultural relations work as a way to promote dialogue as a response.

Prakritti Dutta, Lore Lixenberg and Darren Abrahams, rehearsing a work in progress performance of Naciketa at Opera North.

“It lubricates the process of dialogue,” he said.  This is done by providing platforms to traditions from all over the world.

Recently, the Council organised a much-discussed Sufi festival, bringing musicians from places like Iran, Spain and Azerbaijan, and up next is the annual Jazz fest.

Meanwhile, it has conferences planned in Germany and the United States.

The Director General – whose career has seen diplomatic postings in Singapore, Egypt, South Africa and UN, among others – has also pushed for establishment of academic chairs in international universities, sending Indian scholars to promote research abroad.

“Establishing these chairs allows us to explore ideas together with other cultures.”

The advent of social media has also impacted the work of ICCR.“The effect of social media has been to encourage awareness and appreciation of the way we have been connecting people from even before the advent of YouTube or things like that. It strengthens our hand,” Goel said.

“It serves to bring people together, to dissolve boundaries… ultimately, it’s about using leverage to connect people.”

Young cultural leaders from Srebrenica, Bosnia exploring photography and puppetry as part of an arts and cultural exchange programme in Bridport, Dorset UK.
See Simply Human elsewhere on this web site.
Taken from Culture.info
Connexus

LIKE A FILM IN MY MIND – YOUTH IN THE WORLD PROGRAMME

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LIKE A FILM IN MY MIND

Youth Leadership and Cultural Activities in Srebrenica, BiH:

Youth in the World, EU Youth in Action Programme, British Council, UK

Place: Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina                                  Date: 28 – 31 March 2013

From the 28th – 31 March 2013 a group of partners from BiH, Serbia, Romania, Belgium and the UK will meet with local partners in Srebrenica following on from the Simply Human Youth Exchange project and evaluation in Bridport,  April/May 2012.

Like a Film in My Mind will advance youth and school exchange opportunities, training programmes and youth cultural activities in Srebrenica and the surrounding region (Skelani, Suceska, Zvornik, Bratunac, Potocari, Milici and Srebrenica) and with Bridport, Blandford and Dorchester in Dorset, UK.

This project evolved from an evaluation process led by Anna Ledgard in Bridport, Dorset in 2012 with participation from 25 mainly young people from Srebrenica, Bratunac, Potocari, Suceska in Bosnia and Belgrade, Serbia.  A copy of the evaluation can be found on http://www.operacircus.co.uk/wp/simply-human/

The project is called Like a Film in My Mind after an email we received from one of the young cultural leaders in Srebrenica who had visited Bridport in Dorset as part of the Simply Human Youth Exchange programme.  The latter exchange programme was the final event in the Wake Up! EU Cultural Project 2010-2012.

The partners include:-

Youth Council, Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Teater Mimart, Belgrade, Serbia

Crea Thera, Music and Art Therapy, Belgium, Netherlands and Srebrenica, BiH

Sir John Colfox School, Bridport, Dorset UK

DepArture Arts as part of Dorset County Council, Dorset UK

Red Cross Education and Humanities Dorchester, Dorset UK

Theatre Maska, Bucharest, Romania

Opera Circus, UK

and local partners in the Srebrenica Region.  A full list to follow with the schedule and programme to be delivered.

We are delighted that Like a Film in My Mind links with the Youth Cultural and Arts Festival in Srebrenica which runs for the same four days and will present children and youth theatre companies from Banja Luka, Tuzla, Sremska Mitrovica, Srebrenica (FETUS) amongst others.  Theatre companies leading workshops and activities on the International Theatre Day on Sunday 31st March include Theatre Maska (Romania), Teater Mimart (Serbia), Opera Circus (UK) Prodigal Theatre UK and Fetus (BiH).  Bitef Poliphony Festival will be represented by their director, Ljubica Beljanski.

Full information will shortly be available on this web site and that of the Youth Council in Srebrenica                                                  www.operacircus.co.uk

For further information please contact:

Tina Ellen Lee

Artistic Director

Opera Circus

tina@operacircus.co.uk

Tel: 0044 7785774909

 

Milena Nikolic

President

Youth Council Srebrenica

ossrebrenice@gmail.com

 

 

 

MUSIC RESIDENCY WITH VIDYA SAGAR IN CHENNAI – A GREAT SUCCESS!

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At the end of October a team of artists trained to use music to support the emotional and physical development of children and young people with special needs and trauma, went to Chennai for a week.  The residency involved a day long seminar on new techniques and skills using music with disability, teacher and carer training and the creation of a devised performance piece with the disabled young people called The Elements.

Led by the composer Nigel Osborne with opera singer Darren Abrahams, Dhrupad singer from Kolkata, Prakriti Dutta and Priyanka Devani, musician and facilitator, the week was so successful that there are plans to develop a new music theatre company for disability in Chennai with our partners Vidya Sagar.  We hope that a parallel production of Naciketa, our new chamber opera, will be created by them in time for the world premiere in India in November 2013.

A full report of the work will be available on this page in a couple of weeks time.  In the meantime here are two reports from two of Indian’s distinguished newspapers.

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/music-the-best-medicine/article4087789.ece

http://newindianexpress.com/education/student/article1333579.ece

We would like to thank the inspirational support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for making this trip possible.  We would also like to thank all the team at Vidya Sagar for making our stay such a pleasure and for their kindness and hospitality….and especially to all the children and young people who took part.

http://www.vidyasagar.co.in

 

voicemotion workshop with Guy Dartnell, Bridport, Dorset

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Voice Motion:

Voicemotion explores how to blend voice and movement together, so that a unity is achieved. It invites us to access emotional qualities in ourselves and through exercises and improvisations, express those emotions in a dynamic vocal and physical way. Voicemotion is about presence and listening, balance and rhythm, valuing silence and stillness as much as volume and athleticism.
It is emotionally challenging, but a chance to experience the power of yours and other people’s emotional voice-body in an exciting way.This is a workshop for performers and non-performers alike, who wish to develop and deepen their sense of presence, play and expressive connectedness
Guy Dartnell:

Guy is an international award-winning solo and collaborative artist whose work spans the realms of theatre, music, dance, circus, and film. His solo work is often personal and semi-autobiographical, mixing a conversational style of delivery with a highly dynamic synthesis of voice, movement, improvisation, and imagery. He has also recently started working with film, both narrative-feature and abstract ‘physical-music’ films.

http://guydartnell.macmate.me/Various_Guyses/Welcome.html

The workshop will be held at the lovely Lyric Theatre in Bridport on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd February 2013.

Further details from tina@operacircus.co.uk

Inside/Outside – Monika Pagneux

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Teaching in Barcelona 2012

This is the first ever documentary made about Monika Pagneux , the great movement teacher.  There is also a beautiful book which explains through images and text one particular aspect of her teaching that has taken over 20 years to develop, from clay to text.

Please go to Robert Golden Pictures in order to download or purchase the documentary and a PDF of the book.  If you want to order the 70 page paper back of Inside/Outside, go to Amazon

Opera Circus were lucky to work with Monika on many occasions during the 90′s and her training became part of the research and development for the company’s devised productions.

Monika trained and danced with Mary Wigman’s company in Berlin, worked and taught at Jaque Lecoq’s school in Paris for 15 years and became Peter Brook’s Movement Director for more than 7 years.  Monika also studied with Marcel Marceau and with Moshe Feldenkrais.

In April 2012 she taught her last major workshop in Barcelona and much of the filmed  material comes from this period.

 

FETUS open BITEF Polyphony Festival Belgrade

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FETUS the first independent youth theatre company in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina were invited to open the famous BITEF Polyphony Theatre Festival in September this year.

The play Land Above Us All written and directed by Filip Jokanovic which was also performed as part of the International Day of Youth Theatre at Bridport Arts Centre, in Dorset, UK. (See the Simply Human Youth Exchange information for further details.)

A sophisticated and moving short drama based on the lives of the young actors involved, Verica Jovanovic, Marizela Djozic, Tijana Trifkovic, Aleksandra Jovanovic and Ljubisa Serlan.

Filip is currently writing his second play which will be performed in Srebrenica this December.

The performance was arranged with the support of Nela Antonovic and her team at Teater Mimart in Belgrade.

Music Residency in Chennai

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29 October – 7th November Music Residency for Disability with Vidya Sagar and Opera Circus in Chennai, India.

A week long residency is being held in Chennai run by Nigel Osborne, who was the Reid Professor of Music at Edinburgh University till recently. Nigel is a world renowned composer and an expert on the uses of music for children with disability and trauma as a result of war or conflict. He is joined by Darren Abrahams, an expert facilitator and opera singer who is taking the lead role in Opera Circus new Indian chamber opera Naciketa and Priyanka Devani, a musician and animator from the UoE’s Music in the Community Course.  On 3rd November there will be a seminar run by Nigel on the new techniques and methods being explored in music for disabled musicians and in learning.

More information from Shirin Mammen at shirinmammen@yahoo.co.in or  Tina Ellen Lee at tina@operacircus. co.uk www.operacircus.co.uk
http://www.vidyasagar.co.in

Summer Music Camp – with Rade Serbedzije and Nigel Osborne

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Rade Serbedzija and Nigel Osborne

The CONCERT organised by Rade Serbedzije and Nigel Osborne with musicians from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and the world alongside the students from Edinburgh University, FETUS youth theatre company and the young cultural leaders from Srebrenica including the rap artist Hariz Alic. A wonderful celebration.

Click on the word CONCERT for the You Tube film.

Naciketa – Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry comes to London

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Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry the great Indian Theatre Director is coming to London to work with the composer Nigel Osborne and Opera Circus to begin to explore the artistic collaboration that will create the new chamber opera Naciketa.

Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry

Nigel Osborne, will be joining us from Croatia where he is Musical Director and composer for the Ulysses Theatre Festival in July.  Nigel is also leading the Summer Music Camp for Special Needs Children again this year on the island of Brijuni with the help of students from the Music in the Community course of Edinburgh University and the young team from Srebrenica. The artists helping to develop the work include Darren Abrahams, Lore Lixenberg, Peter Braithwaite, Nadine Mortimer Smith, Njabulo Mdlala, Clare McCaldin, Amar Muchhala and others with Anthony Ingle, pianist. We hope that Andy Morton will be joining us from Australia.