Theatre afternoon for deaf children, the Netherlands, 2500 Euro

Report

Ten theaterafternoons took place - with the cooperation of ten deaf performers. During the afternoons, the children were offered a performance/workshop, for example theatre, mime, dance, acrobatics, magic show or film. Moments of Joy sponsored one afternoon. 

Quote from the letter from the projectfinder: Janneke Tichelaar: 

"On September 23rd, four teachers of the Circus Elleboog came to the theatre "Cultureel Centrum 't Oog" in Amsterdam to teach 17 deaf children and their parents circus-acts. 

In the big theatre - that had been completely emptied of everything for this purpose - a big tarpaulin was spread out and everybody stood in a circle around it. Together everybody could let the cloth make big waves in different ways and finally throw it up into the air and crawl under it. After that the kids got lessons in walking on big balls, riding the one-tyre-bicycles, juggling and acrobatics. 

The teachers - together with two sign language-interpreters - were so attentive and stimulating that the children reached far higher levels of performance than they - often a bit shy and withdrawn in "normal life" - had hoped for. The parents enjoyed themselves too by helping the kids and joining in at some of the exercises. 

The best part was of course when all the children could choose a circus outfit at the end of the afternoon to participate in a real performance. 
The children were super-enthusiastic and wanted to come again every week. 

We like to thank Moments of Joy very much for making this afternoon possible."

Cultureel Centrum 't OOG (which is part of Handtheater) is organising ten theatre afternoons for deaf children in the Netherlands, with the cooperation of ten deaf performers. During these afternoons, the children are offered a performance, for example theatre, mime, dance, acrobatics, magic show or film. The show is followed by an activity which is connected with the performance. This could be a game, a workshop, drawing, painting, etc.

Each afternoon is introduced by the Handtheater actors Jean Couprie and John van Gelder. They teach the children in a playful way how to behave in a theatre: not getting up in the middle of the performance to go to the toilet, not climbing onto the podium, not bringing drinks into the auditorium and not sticking chewing gum under your seat. The comical way in which they illustrate these rules always makes the children laugh. 

Another regular element is the introduction of the deaf performers.
John and Jean always ask the performer: Can you hear? The answer is: No, I am deaf! We are deaf, too, John and Jean then signal. Are your parents deaf?, is the next question. And your brothers and sisters? What sort of work do you do?
The question and answer play is so important because many young deaf children think that their deafness will disappear when they grow up. This is because many deaf children grow up in a hearing family and often only know deaf contemporaries. Emphasizing the hearing impairment of deaf adults enables them to identify with those adults.

The children's afternoons have several objectives:
- to introduce deaf children in a playful way to the performing arts;
- to enable deaf children to be creative;
- to introduce deaf children to deaf culture;
- to bring deaf children into contact with deaf adults.

The afternoons are targeted at deaf children aged 4 to 12 years. In addition, hearing siblings and friends are also welcome. The children's own contribution is three Euro. 

The afternoons will start in March 2006 and will then take place about once a month, on alternating Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 pm.. 
The project is dependent on subsidies and donations and its total cost is 26.000 Euro. The participants' own contribution will add up to about 1000 Euro. The cost per afternoon will therefore be 2500 Euro. 

Moments of Joy would like to fund one afternoon of 2500 Euro.

Total € 2500,-- 

PAID for by a donation of the disney voluntears

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