Špalíček (Chapbook)

“Artistic activity generally allows children to discover the world in other ways beside rational knowledge – moreover, dancing harmonises their physical development as well. Subsequently, this experience manifests as an inextricable part of their everyday life and adds a spiritual dimension to it. We all know this, we keep talking about it, there is no need to accumulate further evidence of how beneficial artistic activities are to developing a child’s personality, everyone understands this. What we lack is the will to change things – we the public as well as politicial officials. We lack action. The ŠPALÍČEK (Chapbook) project represents such a concrete action. Let’s hope it will become more than just another piece of evidence.”
– Eva Blažíčková

The concept was inspired by the Berlin project “Rhythm Is It!” based on cooperation of top professionals and young students of dance with children without any dance training or motivation of their own. Together they create an artistic project combining contemporary dance with live orchestra music and choral interpretation. Children involved in the project came from schools in Prague city districts 3, 4, 5 and 8, including children from immigrant or low-income families who do not have the opportunity to attend art schools (ZUŠ). The project ran throughout 2008 under the leadership of Eva Blažíčková and teachers from the Duncan Centre Conservatory. In June 2009 it culminated in a performance in the Prague Congress Centre marking the 50th anniversary of the death of composer Bohuslav Martinů, with the participation of the Prague Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, and Kühn’s Children Choir. The documentary titled “Drž rytmus” (Keep the Rhythm), directed by Olga Sommerová, monitors the process of preparation and simultaneously captures the change in the behaviour and attitude of all participants. The film is an inseparable part of the project. In 2010 Olga Sommerová’s documentary won the prize of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation at the Golden Prague Festival, and it also won the second place at the Arsfilm festival in Telč.