Arteca Unites Us, Children Dance Project

A couple weeks ago I was introduced to a very handsome man, an Italian with a killer accent named Mauro. He and his friend Fabian recently started a non-profit organization focused on developing creativity and artistic skills for disadvantaged children living in Sangkhlaburi (and throughout SE Asia), appropriately named Arteca.

We met at a small cafe and I admit I was distracted for a while by the way his lips moved when he pronounced the word 'cappuccino'... It took only a few minutes for the small chitchat to idle and the networking to begin. He knew me through a friend of a friend in our small village and was recruiting me as a dance teacher for a few weeks in October while his project was present. He was working out of another children's home in the area, Children of the Forest, and had heard through the wire I had a background in ballet dance.

Here's where I had to laugh a little and put down my coffee...Me, ballet? And teaching? I haven't had a proper ballet class (nor any kind of dance class) in 10 years! He assured me I was more than qualified, saying he planned for just some basic movements at an introductory level, with only a small group of girls interested. OK I said, but on two conditions: one, you allow me to bring my girls from Baan Unrak to also join the class; and two, that the meal served at lunchtime is vegetarian friendly.



So here I am on a shaky bamboo platform, working with a ballet bar made of thick bamboo poles wound tightly together; teaching ballet again after many, many, many, lost years to dance. Another volunteer from Baan Unrak, a German named Steven, also taught a joint hip-hop class with our local dance star Chocolate.

The girls really enjoyed the class, and I'm looking forward to the next sessions. Who knows, maybe it's time to contact some of my old dance friends and convince them to come out here for a few weeks to put on a workshop...hmmmm....sounds pretty good!

I was surprised how easy it was to recall the ballet bar exercises and technique when put on the spot. I guess it's true, the body doesn't forget movement...however, I sure don't remember the pain associated with some of the stretches and I certainly remember being a lot fitter when I was 16 years old!

Baan Unrak Hip Hop Boys And Their Dreams For A Better Life

The boys at Baan Unrak do regular Hip-Hop shows in and around Sangklaburi and Bangkok (Thailand) to promote the children's home, raise awareness about the issues surrounding children and families living along the Thai/Burmese border and to fund raise every chance they can.

Inspired by the American Hip-Hop group Jabbawockeez, they created their own routine and rehearse themselves every spare moment to get the moves just right! Chocolate, Somchai and Taji all love to dance and have taken to hip hop style and fashion like fiends. (Taji, the smallest one at 13 years old admits he only recently started dancing, less than 1 year ago if you can believe it!)

Chocolate, 14 years old, and the main driving force behind this dance team says he dreams of the day he gets to meet the Jabba boys in person, and even better the day he can perform for them. Talking to Chocolate, I can see the dedication in his eyes and I know he's dreaming of going all the way. Here, keeping the kids inspired for a better life is the most important mission, and to see him stand out and inspire the other children who look up to him is...indescribable.

I'm doing what I can now to help him achieve this dream...at their request they'll be released into the You Tube world soon enough, with polished performances and a number of new dances they're choreographing right now. Maybe someday they will get the fame and attention they're working hard to achieve!