HAITI: The adventure begins!

The day before we start the workshops we go to visit the centers where we will perform later in the week.  First, the Darbonne tent camp.  We drive for quite a long time to get there.  Overloaded buses with packages and people on the roof roar by at top speed.   We ride in a 'tap-tap' -- a pick-up truck with a covered back and a bench along each side, a common public transport.  It is very rickety, and the road is extremely bumpy with lots of stones and rocks. And dust.  There are lots of rubble piles lining the road and damaged houses, many with no second floor where there used to be one.   Women (and some men) walk along carrying goods on their heads.  A boy rides a pony.  Goats.  Donkeys and pigs.  Lots of goats.  They eat the garbage on the side of the road.  We pass through a busy market bustling with activity, the street lined with stalls and goods, and people about everywhere, and cars and trucks and our tap-tap trying to squeeze through.

 And then we turn onto a big field beyond which lies a sprawling mass of blue tents.  Some boys are playing soccer.  There is a small wooden open air structure which is the play center TDH has built.  A teacher sits inside surrounded by a group of children, she is talking to them about the water system.  Jan goes inside and hangs upside down from a beam (he's the acrobat in the group) -- and the kids go wild.  He does a funky robot dance.  A kid joins in.  Eruption of laughter and squeals and clapping.  A little girl, perhaps three years old, comes up to me and I take her hands and we dance together.  She speaks to me in Creole, I don't know what she's saying, but the gleam in her eyes is all I need to understand.  More kids gather around.  Suddenly they all break out in song.  There is such energy and excitement!   Such a welcoming open spirit, so happy to play with us.  We keep goofing, but eventually we've gotta go.  Can't wait to come back and do the show for them!

Click for larger image

In the afternoon, we meet with the adults (the 'animateurs') with whom we will be working.  Everyone is gathered around quietly, reserved, waiting.  I thought, hmm, I wonder how this is going to go, what with our doing silly clown games and movement exercises, are they going to take to it?  We have an introduction and initial discussion about the project, and ask them what activities they enjoy doing with the kids.  "Coordinees" is mentioned, a sort of marching band routine, and suddenly a bunch of them jump up to show us and totally get into it with gusto!  Et voila, ca y est, we're off!  They start chanting "the clowns, the clowns" and Selena and I get up and do our own silly version.  There is a great burst of energy and spirit, playfulness and laughing!  Everybody gets up into a circle and we do the name game -- say your name with a gesture or movement -- and it's great!  No holds barred, totally expressive and engaged with creative movement and very different choices everyone.  Then they break out into spontaneous clapping and chanting. We're off to a great start.