Razzle-dazzle us
A late night at the theatre leaves us dazzled and drained the next day but a good night’s sleep gets us up for a prizegiving of hope.
Enabling The How #237. Reading time: 4 minutes, 34 seconds
We are early risers so we prefer not to venture out for late night events. We love going to the theatre, which is why we usually choose the Sunday afternoon show. This allows us the space and time to enjoy the show, no matter the length, and get home without almost falling asleep at the wheel. We’d never, but you know the feeling.
A friend secured really well priced tickets for Chicago at Teatro, Monte Casino for Thursday night, so this time we made an exception. We met for an early dinner before the show but finding a suitable vegetarian-friendly venue on the piazza was an interesting task. We settled on an Italian restaurant, the only one to offer any real variety for non-meat-eaters.
All of us had seen the show before. Once again, it did not disappoint. The jazz-soaked, steamy musical razzle-dazzled us all over again.
Suffered for it
There is nothing better than going to a musical and knowing the words to the songs. The enjoyment is somehow increased by being able to tap away to the music and sing along, quietly, to the songs.
The twenties style of the show with its big band sounds, spectacular dance moves and expressive lyrics was wonderfully entertaining. We left with a swing in our hips, a smile on our lips and All. That. Jaaazz.
Of course we got home late, went to sleep way past our normal bedtime and suffered for it the next day. Early Friday morning meetings meant there was no chance of a sleep-in and an unusually full day had us gasping for air at the end of it.
Luckily we were able to get an early night that evening. The full and long sleep had us waking feeling refreshed and grateful for the extra hours of shut eye.
“We really do underestimate the power of sleep,” remarked Matthew as we got ready for the day.
An annual prizegiving
We needed the benefit of that shut eye as we were off to attend the annual prizegiving at the foundation that we have provided work for over the last three years. The event honours the high school learners from Alex that attend the Saturday school to improve their marks.
This year has been a challenging one for the foundation and the learners. A change in the head of the programme together with greater demands from the learners’ own schools had the attendance figures dipping. Our programme was severely impacted and we had to cut it short almost before it started.
This was disappointing for us but we were conscious of the priorities that had been set for the new head. It was nobody’s fault, we would just have to wait it out and hopefully restart the programme next year.
The fact that we showed up for the prizegiving was appreciated. The year had been a difficult one all round but there was a promise to meet soon and relook at the programme for next year.
We are hopeful that this does happen. We have plans to train other facilitators and expand the offering so having a solid base with several years of experience under our belt really does help.
Celebrating achievement
The prizegiving was well organised, as it usually is. This year the award process went even quicker and smoother. The learners were well behaved and considerate. They cheered and clapped those that won awards on cue and did not have to be quietened too often.
These young people come from an environment that buzzes with suppressed energy. Alex is dense, overcrowded and poverty stricken. There are few open spaces in this township, let alone any parks and green space. The result is that the young people often find expression in loud voices and large movements when let out.
An annual talent contest offers an avenue to channel this energy creatively. The top three winners were showcased at the prizegiving. This year the talent was particularly good.
A grade 11 boy did a solo expressive movement piece that was surprising as it was stirring. Three grade 9 girls danced an energetic pantsula to rounds of applause. A shy grade 9 girl with the voice of an angel brought tears to our eyes with her rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Her performance brought the house down. She shuffled back onstage to take her bow to yells and hoots of appreciation from her peers.
It was heartwarming to witness the open celebration of those that had achieved on the academic, extra mural and creative arts tracks. Although the focus is on academics, the opportunity to engage in other activities offers these students experiences that they probably would not get otherwise.
Razzle-dazzle us
Being at the event was a reminder of the hope that places like that foundation offer to young people who come from resource constrained backgrounds. The whooping was as loud for the tiny bespeckled grade 8 girl who achieved first place in her grade as it was for the tall grade 12 young woman who came first in hers.
We have seen many of these teens enter the programme as wide-eyed 13 year olds, in awe of the resource-rich private school that hosts it. The boys arrive small and slight, the girls giggly and shy.
They come excited and eager as they enter their high school careers. As they progress through higher grades we see how some start to flag. It’s not so easy to wake up early every Saturday to catch the bus to the suburb on the other side of the highway. It’s not easy to battle through more work, more tests, more challenges to get better marks.
Those that push through win. Those that keep going get the rewards. Their marks improve dramatically. By the time they reach matric they leave taller, still smiling and more confident in stature and state.
We do hope that we will be able to get our programme going again next year. We too want to continue to be a positive part of the development of these committed young souls. Any of them could one day razzle-dazzle us and the world. How wonderful that would be.
Until next time.
Yours in feeling,
Matthew & Chantal
IMAGE CREDITS FOR THIS ISSUE: 5TH PLACE