In some ways every time I travel I have a tendency to fall
in love with where I am. Maybe it’s my innate connection to place and people,
or ability to have an open ear, endless curiosity, nomadic nature, good
disposition. Wait, no its not just disposition, learning about a place is a
skill I have picked up along the route of life, as I’ve worked here and lived
there and been always a welcome outsider. And here I am again, flying across
the ether in a metal tube, wondering about the magical place I just left as I
zoom into the familiar of yet another place I call home: from Colombia to New
York...
I miss Colombia already… I started missing it before I even
left. I’m not quite certain I’ve made this many friends in such a short time,
and I don’t mean just meeting people, but a genuine feeling of kinship.
Colombians are incredibly open and good-natured, proud of their country in a
way that doesn’t feel patriotic or xenophobic but welcoming. And why shouldn’t
they be, an incredibly diverse land, from Caribbean beaches to the densest
jungle in the world, bustling metropolises, to snow-capped mountains, Colombia
offers almost every possible geographic location in one geopolitical state. All
encompassed in an interesting sense of time I remember experiencing in Ghana…
Being 3 degrees away from the equator means that the sun runs like clockwork
year-round, up at 6 down at 6, never a variation. After years living in London
where each day is slightly but noticeably different to the last, this mechanism
becomes incredibly apparent. It keeps the rhythm and flow of the day consistent
somehow. And because you can always count on fertile land and constant sunshine
its no wonder that the agribusiness in Colombia is intense and productive. The
country is a lush producer and you can be blessed with any assortment of
amazing fresh fruit juices just about anywhere in the country (even I may add
the airport in Bogota).
Colombia is also very racially mixed, which is reflected in
its musical traditions and dance. The Museo de la Independencia had this incredible chart
that had a list of every possible ethnic group in the country and the name for
every one of their combinations. For example you could lift the tab that stated
Español (Spaniard) and Indígena (Indigenous) you would get Mestizo written
underneath. The chart had over 30 variations… I couldn’t tell if this was derogatory
or not, but nevertheless it reflected a regional mix of peoples that adds to
the spice of life in this land.
Now combine this with working in the city of Cali and in a
circus school. Cali is a hot and humid working-class city where salsa music was
born. Almost half the population of the city lives in a district called Aguablanca, where certain areas are no go zones even for the police. This reminded
me of the Brasilian favela’s before the Pacification of the Favelas. And
like my experience residing in Naples or Beirut I find myself surrounded by
passionate generous people with fervour for life and love. It was lovely to
walk through a city where strangers were polite to each other and asking for
directions might mean a new friend and definitely an extended conversation. No
exchange would begin without the usual exchange of pleasantries and a walk from
my flat to the school in the morning meant saying good morning to a variety of
dog walkers, maids sweeping pavements, security guards standing on corners and
street vendors. Then again I am prone to people-watch and smile when caught,
plus sporting a tree tattoo down my right arm does attract some attention… Of
course this is a version, Colombia remains one of the most violent countries in
the world by some statistics, but none that I witnessed anywhere in my
wanderings around town.
And the school Circo Para Todos, how to begin… I’ll have to
leave out the history for the purpose of this travelogue and speak about the
present I witnessed. Set on the end of a park, the site consists of a huge big
top tent, a tall octagonal dance space, and converted shipping containers that
function as a canteen kitchen, loos, storage, and offices. All this scattered
among grass and trees. The school is spiritually and educationally supported by
a trio of incredibly dedicated Cubans: Annia the schools’ director and Fernando
and Rodolfo the circus teachers. Never have I worked in an institution so open
to suggestions, willing to accommodate and trusting of a stranger in their
midst. Organised, dedicated and engendering confidence and trust in the
students and new staff alike these three are well worthy of true respect and
admiration. Along side my workshop the school had four new teachers in dance,
music, theatre, and technical scenography. My role was to give artistic
direction to the final year production of the graduating students. The school
was rebounding from massive budget cuts, with a financial injection from the
Ministry of Culture, and abuzz was this energy of regrowth and redistribution.
With my pedagogical training, technical knowledge, and artistic vision, I ended
up situated in the best place possible. Working with a new team, developing a
large creative project and organising a group of young people to make the best
out of their skills and talents.
And about the students: a veritable microcosm of the
country. A variety of social and racial backgrounds with a common interest:
their abilities and skill in circus. Mixing in with these students were the egresados graduated circus students who
come back and train between touring in cruises and circuses around the world.
This possbility to travel and make a living through a creative enterprise is a
valuable commodity. And I made it very clear to the students what a total
luxury this school was. Though the physical site was in need of repair, it
remained fully functional and offered a free 4-year education that included a
hearty lunch every day and two decent snack-breaks twice a day (high energy
training requires a good caloric intake).
This experience has reiterated my assertion that for a
successful outcome to a collaborative practice model, it is dependant on three
inter-combined factors:
1. A sound working methodology for development of a creative
practice
2. The host organisation’s willingness to incorporate that
model into their existing format of practice
3. The participants’ openness to engage with the methodology
& ability to collaborate with each other.
In this case the fantastic hosting of the school, the
eagerness of the students and my own working methodology combined to create in
a matter of three weeks, the beginning of a 90 minute circus show to be
presented 14th Dec, the date the co-founder of the school passed away and the
first class graduated. It would be amiss to not mention Felicity Simpson who
co-founded the school and the circus company Circolombia, which is composed of
the talent trained in the school. The school’s basic premise is a social
enterprise, giving access to training to disadvantaged young people. But this
is a core principal and not a limiting factor, for mixed with students coming
from Agua Blanca district are university graduates from Bogota and this mix is
healthy for like Colombia it represents all walks of life.
I’m leaving out the many details of my adventures in order
to focus on the core of my travels, like the friends who took me out and around
Cali and Bogota and the great times I had. The only regret I have in Colombia
is leaving and if you have the opportunity to come here one day, I’m sure you
will be just like me… counting the days to come back.
From the dark skies en route to the Big Apple…
R
