2009 – Dance Yourself!

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In 2009 CGE Erfurt e.V. supported a dance project for girls and young women in Northern Erfurt in cooperation with the Domino e.V. (Projekt KASpEr) and the Mädchenzentrum des Mädchenprojektes Erfurt e.V. (the “Girls Point” of the “Girls Project Erfurt” organisation).

“Dance Yourself!” used jazz dance as a tool to provide girls at the age of 8 to 15 years from Erfurt’s quarter “North” with difficult social backgrounds a positive physical self-esteem and more self-confidence. The project referred to the environment of the involved girls and had positive effects on the improvement of their social and creative skills. Aim of DANCE YOURSELF! was to awaken the girls’ interest in dance and motion. Guided and lead by a dance pedagogue and a social pedagogue (both female), the girls learned establishing a positive regard to their bodies and having self-confidence while interacting with themselves and others.

Beyond that the girls made the experience, that dancing can be helpful to them in solving and overcoming problems in everyday life. The project started with a weekend workshop. Afterwards there had been training exercises weekly. In total the project consisted of 19 workshop days at 2-3 hours, during May 8^th to September 5^th, 2009 and has been frequented by girls at the age of 8 to 15 years. The workshops were separated into one part dedicated to group dynamics and positioning within a group, as further to the perception of one‘s self and of others, and another part, which dealt strictly with the training of the body and dancing (technique, choreography, improvisation, composition). Final highlight was the public performance in front of family, friends and guests, presenting the development and the effords of the common activity.

On Saturday, September 5^th, 2009 a final meeting with a short performance took place in “Schongang” (“Cruising Gear”), Fritz-Noack Street 17, in Erfurt.

The booklet of the project can be downloaded here. A newspaper report you find here.

The project has been realised in cooperation with:

and supported by: