Make way for the BLT Circus!

After it was decided that our project would be called Bukit Lawang Trust (BLT), we thought about what recreational activities would be exciting for the children on site. After a short reflection, we came up with the idea of a circus. Since Toni has recently discovered his fascination for the flowerstick and wants to share his juggling skills, and Jasmin has already carried out a circus project in Kenya, we could imagine that the students at BLT would find a circus project "pretty nice". It quickly became clear to us what a huge understatement "pretty nice" would be...

The only question remained: How do we get diabolos, juggling balls/plates, and more to Sumatra? - Oh, three pairs of underwear will be enough, then we have enough space in our backpack! Packed with beautiful, colorful things, we were able to present and hand them over to the school after three weeks of traveling. The team was delighted. But of course, we were curious to see the reaction of the children. So we made a plan on how we wanted to introduce them to the circus arts in the following weeks. Not an easy task when you are not a circus person, only speak the language in fragments, and the children may have never heard of it before!

So we designed the first week as an introductory and trial session for all nine groups. Each child can try out and find out what is most fun in four stations: juggling plates, diabolo, juggling with balls or scarves, and hula hoop. It was an incredible joy to see how fascinated and full of happiness the BLT kids were from the very first second of the games. This continues for the next few weeks: even before they reach the roof where we prepared everything, they shout with a radiant smile, 'Circus? Circus!' and even after 10 weeks, none of the children show any signs of boredom! Due to their creativity and energy, new ideas are constantly being created to skillfully present the existing equipment. So we include a skipping rope performance and an acrobatic number with the younger ones in the program. Two masters of the flowerstick even emerge - really cool guys!

As we discussed with the team that we would present a real circus performance on the last day of school before the holidays, which would traditionally be a big celebration, we began rehearsing choreographies with the children. This presents us with a challenge because with nine different groups that only have the opportunity to practice once a week, it is important to have a good plan. It is even better that we are supported by the team, who take care of the children who do not participate in the circus. In addition to the circus performance, numerous dances and speeches are also presented. At times, a proper performance - as we know it - seems hardly feasible, as the desire for free play is too great and the implementation of predetermined movements is too difficult. But with the help of some YouTube videos and many repetitions, the children quickly understand what we have in mind and practice diligently because they too want to shine on the day of the performance!

Then the time has finally come: the last two school days are here, on the first day the kindergarten children are bid farewell in a phenomenal way (so phenomenal that we have written our own post about it), and for the second day, the stage is set, the sound system may be audible all the way to Germany, and the 100 children stream onto the school grounds from their villages. First, they are allowed to really let loose: the whole house is an open oasis for everything their hearts desire. The students can choose whether they want to spend their time with fun games on the roof, a quiz, or an art competition. Alternatively, they can also have themselves painted as a lion, Superman, or butterfly - a real hit, I tell you!

After this spectacular start, numerous speeches by individual students about pollution and climate protection follow, as well as nine different dances (because each village wants to present something).

Then finally: Make way for the BLT Circus!

*Fanfare sounds!*

The orangutan Toni crawls on all fours onto the stage, scratches his head, produces three bananas, and starts juggling them - the audience watches with bated breath - student Nabil, a very talented all-rounder, proudly presents his self-created welcome speech and gives an outlook on the next 30 minutes with a loud voice. Both bow and leave the stage behind the curtain.

*the circus melody that hopefully everyone knows starts playing (for the uninformed: düpdüp-düdüdüdü-düpdüp-dada-düpdüp-düdüdüdü-düpdüp-dada)*

Eight boys and girls with multi-colored juggling plates enter the stage in rhythm and with radiant faces and show their tricks with the plates synchronously! The music accompanies them as well as the thunderous applause of the audience.

Next, the diabolo players appear, skillfully making their diabolos fly through the air and catching them precisely with the sticks. The low ceiling of the stage does not hinder them from putting on an amazing show!

The hula hoop girls turn up the heat - have you ever seen young people spinning the hoop around their neck (!), their waist, legs, feet, and arms, getting faster and faster, and still being able to laugh? It's a shame you weren't there - it was fantastic!

Next up *Mission Impossible soundtrack* - two boys enter the stage, bow, become one with the music, and swing the flowerstick alternately through the air. They are a great team and rhythmically throw the flowerstick as well as the two handsticks to the music. Both shine and the audience doesn't know where to look first, as their movements are so fast. Huge applause accompanies them off the stage.

The acrobatic number that follows is the pinnacle of sweetness, because three wonderful girls (5 years old), who bounce around like bouncy balls non-stop every day, create various human pyramids and acrobatic stunts together with us. After each achieved pose, they proudly raise their hands and crown it with a "Tadaaa". We lift the kids onto our shoulders, let them roll once around themselves, and fly on our hands and feet. The audience is so thrilled that they even forget to take photos (which is why there are unfortunately no photos of the most beautiful and cutest human pyramid ever - sorry!)

As the grand finale, all the performers reappear on stage with their circus games, bow, celebrate themselves, and dance with radiant faces! What a show!

We are completely sweaty and happy that everything went so well. Since the circus is the last item on the agenda of the school day, it is now time to say goodbye. All volunteers and teachers line up on the stage and over 100 children bid us farewell one by one. We have hardly ever experienced anything as touching and emotional before: with many tears, we hug each other and are sad that we have to say goodbye. A gift from the children makes it clear to us what we had already suspected: with our circus and the time spent together, we have brought a lot of joy to many, many children: "Thank you for teaching us the Circus, so we can look like this: :-)"

At this point, a heartfelt thank you to all the helpers behind the scenes: the entire BLT team for their great support, Musicman Marcel, and Photographer Philipp, who didn't take any photos but made a video of the performance!

P.S. The continuation of our party series, Jungle Fever 2.0, is already being planned. Here, we will treat you to the circus performance as a film!