GET CLARE TO SLOVENIA

A Journey Like No Other….. Slovenia hosts Dance and the Child International 2024

What a great opportunity this was to head up to Europe and present at this international conference, made possible with the help of many friends, colleagues and supporters from around the motu. 

Here are some highlights from my epic dance journey to daCi 2024:

·       Pre - conference meetings with marvellous humans from many countries. 

·       Attending the Opening ceremony, keynotes, workshops, connecting with old and new friends with the same intentions and sharing what we are all doing in our countries to raise awareness of the power of dance in childrens’ lives.

·       Witnessing youth performances, with one special highlight, my dear friend and past student, 15yr-old Cassidy Scoones, presenting his solo choreography Kaitiaki to great applause and words of praise and encouragement from all who saw it. This he created himself with the support of Australian dance artists. 

·       Many Aotearoa New Zealand dance academics and dance professionals presenting at the Conference, again, received with much interest, enthusiasm and gratitude.

·       Watching the hundreds of youth workshopping over four days and then performing at the closing ceremony.

·       A day-trip  generously hosted by wonderful dancer, Slovenian, Neža Jamniker, to Lake Bohinj where we bathed in the clearest alpine water imaginable.

·       Still more meetings post-conference followed by retreating to the Slovenian coastal town Izola.  

·       Swimming in the cool sea, remembering how lucky I am to live in such a stunning island nation, far away from Europe, that I call home.  

·       Lots to reflect and lots to process.  Lots to share and to keep on sharing.

·       My main ‘take-away’ is that DANCE truly makes a difference in childrens’ everyday lives on so many levels. Particularly in times like these where there is enormous pressure on families, teachers, organisations and countries and the seductive draw of online worlds pulls us ever away from the moment, artistry and physicality of connection.

·       Dance connects us.  Dance encourages us to see and value each other more.  It softens tension and expresses imagination, making way for greater kindness and empathy to others and ourselves.

·       Dance is part of every child’s world. They are ready to leap, laugh and learn. It’s their right to experience dance whether it be for recreation, fun or simply  discovering dance is their super power for communicating and showing their true potential. daCi is working globally to support this.

I’d like to offer my gratitude to TAPAC -The Auckland Performing Arts Centre. This is my dancing home and it has been for over 30 years. 

I would like to acknowledge all of you who got behind me so generously so that I could represent my country at daCi 2024, and now, as the new National Representative for daCi New Zealand, I look forward to bringing even more Aotearoa children’s dance practitioners to Malaysia for daCi 2027. 

With heart felt  gratitude a huge, huge thank you all, 

Arohanui Clare