Preparing for First Show!

What time is it? No one really knows. Deon and Junior got up early enough to see the sunrise. The sign says that the place we are staying in is called "Vacation in the Clouds." The view from our patio is lovely. Keaton's cat waited near our place overnight. Kellin has found a dog. The kids wake up and look out their doors.

We go to breakfast. This is a more recognizable meal and everyone eats. We got to the gym. There are only three teachers---myself, Michael and Gilad. Michael leads warm-up.

Then, we start putting together acts for the show. Royi and Keaton will do rolla. Elliana and Shar-el trapeze. 8 boys for diabolo, 5 for juggling, 8 boys and girls for unicycle and 12 for partner acrobatics.

We put together a pyramid with all 23 youth circus performers!

We create diabolo, juggling, rolla bolla, unicycling, partner acrobatics and double trapeze acts with kids from both groups. For the show we added single trapeze, tumbling and minitrampoline from the Arches and they add their wire walking act. The music is a combination of what they have and what we brought (Circus Harmony CD and the Da Capo Circus Flora CD).

It really is amazing.---to put all this together so fast under normal circumstances. But then you add the language situation. Michael and I speak no Hebrew or Arabic. In the morning we have only one other coach from the Galilee Circus. He speaks both and some of the kids speak a bit of English. A couple also speak both Hebrew and Arabic. A parent stops to visit and we use him to help translate. Still, we have a lot of acts being put togther with sign languge.But, it WORKS!!!

The kids break for lunch and then go swimming. After the break, we run the show one time through, finishing the acts as we go. Many of the Galilee kids have never stood on shoulders. But they do so without trepidation. I think what I notice the most is the total trust between the groups to do what you say (or sign) you are going to do. Royi gets right up on Keaton's shoulders for Keaton to do 2 high on rolla.No question.You say you will hold me and I believe you. We have 6 pairs of kids (one from each group in each pair) for the partner acro.

One of the Arches notes that he doesn't know which kids are Arabic and which kids are Jewish. It doesn't matter. We are all circus performers and we are creating something together which is inspirational in a way the kids don't even think about! After only one day of practice, we perform the show for the people of the kibbutz. It is beautiful and it is only the beginning.