Srebrenica Music Theater

Young team-workshops

2011-06-23T14:00:00.002+02:00

The young team of "Musicians Without Borders" - "Children's Musical Theater," which consists of Jana, Alexandra, Verica and Filip, for three months has been working on preparing the kids’ play "The Trip". Their workshops are also reflected in music, dance and acting. Children who come to the workshops are very talented and eager for fun and socializing. Their creativity was seen in premier of performance show.

Music in villages

2011-06-23T13:53:00.001+02:00

Workshops were held in Zutica, Potocari and Srebrenica. Children are interested in working and they are very happy because they get the opportunity to learn to play some musical instruments. Tony Pesikan, leader of the music workshop is a good at approaching children and their work.

Groundbreaking workshop by Scottish musician Aidan in Srebrenica

2011-06-17T13:18:00.008+02:00

The organization "Musicians without borders" of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday and Sunday, 02 and 03 April starting from 09:30 hours were held music workshops. The workshops were led by world-renowned musician and trainer Aidan Burke from Berlin.

Burke worked with professionals from BiH, percussionist Tony Pesikan and professor of music culture Almerisa Vejzović-Delic.

The aim of the program was the introduction, development and training of local musicians with methodology for conducting music workshops, use of music to the social inclusion of children and youth, and the use of musical materials and instruments.

Aidan and Tony performing together

The Basement of Discarded Toys

2010-12-04T13:56:00.000+01:00

MwB's Children's Music Theater performs 'The Basement of Discarded Toys' on 5 and 10 December in Srebrenica. The children created the story themselves, using songs, percussion, dancing and acting.

Music Bus & Children's Theatre Project Srebrenica (Musicians Without Bor...

2010-10-30T15:02:00.000+02:00

Exhibition ‘Breaks in reality’

2010-10-21T18:04:00.000+02:00

At 20 October the youth theater group ‘B-Smisao’ performed during the opening of the exhibition ‘Breaks in reality’. The exhibition in the Youth Center of Srebrenica shows beautiful black and white pictures, made by the young photographer Davorin Sekulic. Aleksandra, Verica and Filip, workshop leaders of Musicians without Borders, made a small performance based on the theme of the exhibition.

Some of the pictures of Davorin Sekulic you can find here

Workshops for New Year Performance started

2010-10-06T20:27:00.000+02:00

The Children’s Music Theater is preparing a new performance. Last week the theater, dance and music workshops started in Srebrenica. Next week also children from Potocari and Zutica will join the workshops.

Drmajmo Kaldrmom - Shake the road, shake the future!

2010-10-02T11:22:00.000+02:00

Awards for scene movement, choreography and mask performance

2010-10-01T11:19:00.002+02:00

At 30 September Svetlana Miladinovic from Zvornik Theater came to Srebrenica to hand over the Awards for Scene movement, Choreography and Mask performance. The team received the awards for the performance 'Beasts and Beauties' at the 10th Youth Theater Festival Republic of Srpska.

Special Award for scene movement and choreography

2010-09-28T18:17:00.001+02:00

Monday 27 September Musicians without Borders participated in the 10th Youth Theater Festival Republic Srpska, with the performance 'Beasts and Beauties'. Nine other youth theater groups participated in the festival.

The jury was very positive about Beasts and Beauties. The performance was something different, using live music very refreshing for theater in Bosnia Herzegovina and the choreography was on a high level.

The jury awarded Beasts and Beauties with a special award for scene movement and choreography. Congratulations Aleksandra, Jana, Marizela, Verica, Filip and Maja (actors), Marko, Aleksandar and Toni (musicians), Denis and Marko (technicians), Nela, Rosie and Giselle (directors)!

'Beasts and Beauties' is collaboration between B-Smisao, Opera Circus, Youth Council Srebrenica and Musicians without Borders.

Conference after the performance

The refreshment of theater in BiH

Aleksandra in full concentration

Drmajmo Kaldrmom - Back stage, volunteers in action

2010-09-26T21:48:00.002+02:00

9:00 Warming up volunteers

9:30 putting the banner

10:00 Preparing Small School of Painting

13:00 Volunteers enjoying during workshops with children

14:00 Creative volunteers

17:30 After long beautiful day

RITAM SREBRENICE 17.09.2010.

2010-09-22T12:37:00.002+02:00

The item in 'Ritam Srebrenice' about the performance 'Beast and Beauties' starts at 7:44min

If the video doesn't open, you can see the item here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRgohLqnw48

18/8 Drmajmo Kaldrmom! - Let’s shake the road!

2010-09-21T21:03:00.000+02:00

The third anniversary of the Children's Music Theater is celebrated with the event 'Drmajmo Kaldrmom' - 'Let's shake the road' at the Guber in Srebrenica. 83 Children from Srebrenica, Potocari, Pale, Osat, Ljeskovik and Zutica participated. Children from the villages came by organized busses to Srebrenica.

The culture-nature event started in the park with playing different games. After it the children went in groups towards the Guber, where different activities took place like painting stones (and making music with them), face painting, rap, drum and theater workshops. The groups were mixed groups of children from Srebrenica and children from the villages. This gave the opportunity for the children to meet each other.

At the end of the day children went to the Cultural Center to see an animation film, part of the short film festival organized by Prijatelji Srebrenice. The anniversary was a big success. Children had lot's of fun and went tired, but very happy, homewards after the beautiful day.

A lot of people and organizations made this day possible. Musicians without Borders got big support of the Youth Council, the Scouts, Amica and Sara. And not to forget the more then 30 volunteers who made this day possible. Without their support this day couldn't be organized. Thank you all!

Drmajmo Kaldrmom!

Theater workshop

Making music

Making sounds

Painting stones

Rapping and making music with stones

16/9 Bitef Polifonija Festival in Belgrade

2010-09-21T19:14:00.000+02:00

Jana Djukanovic and Filip Jokanovic, workshopleaders for MwB and actors in the play Beast and Beauties, were invited to give a presentation about the work in Srebrenica during the Bitef Polifonija Festival in Belgrade. It was a great honor for the young delegation from Srebrenica to participate in the this big theater festival. The audience was very surprised to see the positive energy and power these young people from Srebrenica. Besides the presentation Jana and Filip got the opportunity to see the performance Limes from Teatar Mimart, a big experiences what opened their eyes regarding possibilities with theater.

13/9 Performance 'Beasts and Beauties'

2010-09-21T18:48:00.001+02:00

Monday 13 September the performance Beasts and Beauties took place in the Youth Center in Srebrenica. The Youth Center was filled until his limits with children, youth and adults. More then 120 people came to see the performance. After the performance a party was organized for all participants, family and friends.

Over the last four years the youth theater group from Srebrenica, B-Smisao, was in-active. This performance, which is organized in close cooperation with Musicians without Borders, the Opera Circus and the Youth Council, reactivated the youth theater in Srebrenica. Hopefully a lot of new plays will be made in the future.

General Rehearsal "Beasts and Beauties"

2010-09-13T01:22:00.001+02:00

Today Nela, director from Theater Mimeart Belgrade, came to Srebrenica for the general rehearsal of 'Beasts and Beauties'. The whole day the actors, musicians and technicians worked hard to finalize the performance. Everybody is invited for the performance at Monday 13 September at 19:30 at the Youth Center in Srebrenica.

Sasa and four of the actors

The technicians

Lis from Musicians without Borders UK interviews Filip

Concert in Srebrenica with video connection is cancelled (10/09/’10)

2010-09-09T13:31:00.001+02:00

We’re sorry to inform you the concert at Friday 10 September in the Cultural Center, Srebrenica, have been cancelled. It is not possible to make a strong enough internet connection in the small village in the Netherlands where the concert will take place. To be still part of the concert in the Netherlands the children from Srebrenica will make a video clip, which will be shown during the concert. The children from the Netherlands will make a video clip of the concert. In this way the children can meet each other via video exchange. Later this year we will try to realize the live connection.

2010-09-08T16:37:00.002+02:00

Rebuilding Guber

2010-09-08T00:34:00.000+02:00

Last Thursday a company started with huge rebuilding activities at the Guber. This was a big shock for the organization of ‘Drmajmo Kaldrmom’. The big playground is totally destroyed as you can see on the pictures. No change of having here activities at the 18^th of September. But we found solution. In cooperation with the company we will prepare another nice playground where we can do our music activities (Argentarija). And children will get the possibility to see the working activities at the Guber in a save way. On the road up to the Guber we will organize lots of small activities in cooperation with our partner organizations. In this way Drmajmo Kaldrmom, will be different then we planned, but it will go on!

Guber one week ago...

Guber now

Yes, it's a bit different...

Circus "Cap Carap“

2010-09-04T18:10:00.001+02:00

From 31th August till 4th of September the Austrian organization ‘Bauern helfen Bauern’ organized a circus camp in Potocari. Three young drummers from Musicians without Borders performed in the Gala performance, together with their drum teacher Toni. They animated the audience and made a great show.

Drmajmo kaldrmom! - Let’s shake the road!

2010-09-03T22:53:00.001+02:00

The first edition of ‘Drmajmo kaldrmom!’ will take place at 18 September 2010. The path leading to the Guber, the spring water spa area, will change this day into a happy street with carnival percussion, face painting, musical and visual art workshops, living sculptures, painting rocks and more.

All children from Srebrenica are invited, together with their family. Busses will be arranged for children from the villages.

Musicians without Borders is organizing the event in close cooperation with Amorika Srebrenici (scouts), Amica, Sara, Savjet Mladih (Youth Counsil), Kuca Povjerenja (House of Trust), Srebrenica ’99, primary school “Petar Petrović Njegoš” and the primary school “Kosta Todorović” Skelani.

In partnership with the NGO “Prijatelji Srebrenice” and within their “Film Festival Silver Tape”, the day will close with an animation movie for children participating in the community work.

Program

12:00 Gathering in the park

12:15 – 14:30 Activities at the Guber

14:30 – 15:00 Music workshop for all participants at the Guber (percussion, rap, dance)

16:00 – 17:00 Animation movie in Cultural Center

Letter of Rosie - theater director

2010-09-01T15:12:00.002+02:00

What a fantastic experience I've just had in Srebrenica - two and a half weeks spent with creative and motivated young people who talk and listen to each other well and are generally willing to try new ideas and come up with their own creative suggestions. My approach is very much about the young people taking ownership of the project and their company and understanding why and how we should develop the various sections of Beast and Beauties. I believe together we achieved this. We had good discussions, some grumpy moments and much laughter too; it was great also to spend time with them over lunches and wonderful that they so generously took me to the river Drina with them. We discussed theatre as a gift to others, remembering what the intention of the piece is – both artistically and socially . They learnt about storyboarding and played with this to decide where and why the sequence of scenes happened, what additional material was required. We explored image theatre, Laban efforts and characterisation using physicality, gesture and sound, experimented working with masks as well as making masks and props and appreciating the various aspects of stagecraft and production. We went up into the woods to create a 3 minute film for projection - wonderful to work in the landscape and use this to add meaning to the piece. We spent time discussing marketing and promotion, creating a plan for this with allocated responsibilities as well as writing a lighting plan and other production responsibilities that were allocated to each member of the company. By the end of last week they had a good understanding of the process of creating a piece using the themes and concepts of the story from impro / workshop through devising / developing / rehearsing / performance and consideration of all that could be included in this. The young musicians are a delight - very talented and helped to integrate music into the piece to give added value, interest and meaning. The rap is fantastic and it was wonderful as these guys, with help and guidance from Marijke, really became integrated with the others, so everyone was valued and respected by each other. This is a total theatre piece and aspects of this felt very new to the young people and at times challenging but with perseverence produced great results.

Highlights of my time spent includes - creating the film in the woods, swimming and diving in the Drina, (including the journey in the crazy overfilled Combi), the laughing and crying game, teaching zip, zap, boing to an adult group including 6 hefty young German visitors, drinking and socialising with such wonderful people in the Rock Cafe, sharing time and an apartment with the completely glorious and inspirational Tanja.

I hope and believe the performance on 13th September will be a great success and that more young people are inspired to join the group, that this develops into a complete theatre company incorporating theatre, music and film in future productions, that the company continues to have the courage to take risks, try new approaches, reflect and explore issues important to them and the community of Srebenica. It's not always an easy journey but hard work and dedication results in a really creative quality outcome.

I look forward very much to returning sometime in the near future and working together again. Thank you for being such wonderful people and for the generous and warm hospitality received from everyone.

Rosie

'Zvijeri i Ljepotice' in Youth Center Srebrenica at 13 September 19:30

2010-08-31T15:36:00.001+02:00

Invitation for activities in September

2010-08-30T21:10:00.002+02:00

Live band

2010-08-29T16:18:00.000+02:00

This week three musicians joined the group: Aleksandar (rap+percussion), Marko (guitar) and Sasa (drums). It’s great to have live music within the performance of ‘Beasts and Beauties’.

Sasa, Aleksandar and Marko

20/08/10 Props and filming

2010-08-28T22:52:00.000+02:00

This training day started with the making of props in the Cultural Center. After it the team went, together with Dado, up to the Guber to make a small movie. This movie will be part of the performance.

First rehearsal in big hall

2010-08-21T09:03:00.000+02:00

Maja

Verica, Filip and Marizela

Jana

Observations of Seth, an American student

2010-08-21T08:56:00.000+02:00

As an American student who has been fortunate enough to spend three days observing the actors prepare their play, I’ve been struck by their immense creativity and imagination. Choosing the classic Beauty and the Beast, the youth threw out any idea of a “classic” play and began to synthesize the story with their ideas about a heavily non-verbal theater. With the mentoring of Serbian theater teacher Nela and English theater teacher Rosie, this production of Beauty and the Beast has become a progressive and alternative theater performance combining percussion, rap, video, dance, acrobatics, and carefully created lines.

Musicians without Borders has provided the youth a space to express themselves and their ideas, and the actors have quickly filled the space with their creativity. The youth have chosen not to have fixed roles, instead exchanging characters throughout the play. Carefully analyzing each scene they created, the youth decided which emotions they wanted to illustrate throughout the play and they’ve artfully communicated each of these feelings.

Each day I have spent with the actors and directors, I have seen ideas exchanged and discussed among them. Each day Beauty and the Beast acquires newer and deeper meaning thanks to their energy.

Seth (right) helps with making props

MwB in local media

2010-08-17T11:25:00.000+02:00

Our partner organization 'Prijatelji Srebrence' made an item about Musicians without Borders in their monthly 'Video Zurnal'. The item starts after 3:45min.

Interview with Nela Antonovic (Theater Mimart Belgrade)

2010-08-12T20:37:00.000+02:00

How is it to work in Srebrenica?

Working in a new town is always very special for me. I’m transferring my knowledge to youth in a new situation. This is always a challenge. I start with asking the group what they want from me. Every group is different. I give them what I know.

Can you tell something about the play?

We are not following the script of Beauty and the Beast, but we are working with different phenomenons that are connected to the play. For example we worked around the number 4. There are four sisters in the play. We transferred this to the situation where four persons are walking very slowly with bread on their head. The bread is symbol of the poorness of the family from the Beauty.

How is the group spirit?

I see a team that feels very free. They work as a team but still everybody has his own freedom. I also liked the way they talk to each other. The discussions are very good. They ask good questions.

The group learned a lot about discipline. I really see a difference in concentration and discipline. The first days there was a lot of talking and laughing. But after two days working with me they are used to my way of working and they became very disciplined.

When we work we work hard and in the breaks there is time to relax.

Which special memory will you take home?

The group is very open. They are open to learn new things. Remember the exercise with seeing the different colours. With other groups this takes mostly 3 days till they understand what I mean. This group understood it already after 3 hours of working.

Result of todays workshop

2010-08-07T18:02:00.000+02:00

Physical theater training in Srebrenica

2010-08-07T17:29:00.000+02:00

Nela Antonovic, trainer from the Mimart Theatre, Belgrade, gave workshops for the 2 past days about physical theatre with lots of exercises and interesting approach. The team had an opportunity to learn more about the role of their own body on the stage and how to use the body more when performing. They were fascinated about how they could use none-verbal communication with the audience and express their emotions on the stage. Many of them were not aware of the power of the usage of their body regardless on the type of the performance. Usage of the space, rhythm of the movements and communication within the performers on the space is very important and they could all learn about it. Nela gave them interesting insight into street theatre on witch they will be working on more in the following period. Also, the combination of the music, light and sound effects is something that the team will work on in the next five days.

Dialogue exercise: I see ...

2010-08-02T18:12:00.005+02:00

I see a beauty – I see a beast
I see a bank – I see a bed
I see a river - I see the sea
I see a star - I see the sun
I see a radio - I see sold
I see a cable - I see electricity

I see a fridge - I see a computer
I see a pink bar - I see a green wall
I see light - I see darkness
I see a girl – And I an old lady

I see ...

Beauty and the Beast

2010-08-02T11:58:00.001+02:00

At Saturday 11 September the Children’s Music Theater and the Youth Theater B-Smisio will perform their own version of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in the Youth Center. The performance will be the outcome of one month of intensive training, organized in partnership with Opera Circus, by theater directors Nela Antonovic Teater Mimart, Belgrade, Serbia, Rosie Russell, youth theatre director, Dorset, England, Giselle Vegter, theatre director and writer, Netherlands and Ilil Land-Boss, actress and drama therapist, Germany.

Interview with Aleksandra

2010-07-10T15:12:00.002+02:00

Aleksandra, one of the workshop leaders of Musicians without Borders in Srebrenica, has been interviewed for a Dutch newspaper, the Volkskrant. In the article she is wondering why everybody always is asking questions about the war. Why people are not asking her about her passion for dance and theater?

RITAM SREBRENICE 11.06.2010

2010-06-15T11:44:00.001+02:00

The NGO Prijatelji Srebrenice made an item about the performance ‘Unreal Reality’ in their weekly news program Ritam Srebrenice. They filmed the performance and had interviews with Vanja (dancer), Ivana (main actor), Andjela (dancer) and Jana (workshop leader). The item starts at 4:09.

'Home alone' performed in Zvornik

2010-06-11T17:54:00.005+02:00

Childrens Music Theater, performing “Home alone” presented themselves at the first Comedy Festival in Zvornik on Thursday 8 june 2010.

In front of full hall of the Youth House Zvornik, Srebrenica actors, performed and made the audience laugh till tears, the youngest and their parents. In 10 days, what is duration of the Festival, only this performance was suitable for the youngest.

Pleased organizers have said that they will invite young actors next time when Festival is organized again, and that they inpatiantly wait for another performance.

For more pictures, click here

Djecije muzicko pozoriste iz Srebrenice, predstavom “Sama u kuci”, nastupali su u revijalnom programu na prvom Komedija festivalu u Zvorniku u utorak 8.juna 2010.

Pred prepunom salom Doma omladine Zvornik, srebrenicki glumci su se predstavili u izuzetnom svijetlu, zasmijavajuci do suza najmladju publiku a i njihove roditelje. U 10 dana koliko traje festival, ovo je jedina predstava prilagodjena za najmladju publiku te je za nastup Djecijeg muzickog pozorista trazena karta vise.

Prezadovoljni organizatori rekli su da ce svakako pozvati mlade glumce i iduci put kada Festival bude organizovan, te da sa nestrpljenjem iscekuju novu predstavu.

Pictures Unreal Reality

2010-06-11T00:50:00.004+02:00

For more pictures of the performance 'Unreal Reality', click here

Performance Unreal Reality

2010-06-04T16:21:00.005+02:00

At the 3th of June 50 children from Srebrenica, Potocari and Skelani performed in the Cultural Center in Srebrenica. The play 'the Unreal Reality' included theater, dance, music and singing.

Here I am

2010-06-04T16:11:00.003+02:00

Video of the dance 'Here I am'; part of the performance 'Unreal Reality', performed at June 3th in the Cultural Center in Srebrenica.

General Rehearsal 'Unreal Reality'

2010-06-04T15:57:00.003+02:00

A video report of the General Rehearsal at June 3 th.

Rehearsal 1 June

2010-06-02T10:13:00.000+02:00

A video report from the rehearsal at Tuesday.

Rehearsal 29 May

2010-06-01T18:38:00.000+02:00

Rehearsal music section

2010-05-31T10:42:00.000+02:00

Metamorphose

2010-05-29T16:06:00.000+02:00

Toni has given the entrance to the space of the Children's Music Theater a big metamorphose.

2010-05-28T11:44:00.000+02:00

Musicians without Borders are inviting you for the premier

“The unreal reality”

Produced and Directed by

The Children’s Music Theatre/Music Bus

Srebrenica.

3^rd of June 2010.

2pm

Cultural Center, Srebrenica

”The Unreal Reality” is a thrilling story by the writer Savo Skobic

which at its heart is the very important idea - we must believe in fairytales

and children have the right to imagine.

Fairy tales exist in a world that never ends where beauty is all around

and where good always wins over evil. Fairytales help us to grow up.

“The Unreal Reality” explores the abstract and the real life and includes characters from both our real world and from the world of fairytales.

Around 60 children from Srebrenica, Potočari and Skelani will perform in the premier

Supported by: Musicians without Borders International, The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Opera Circus, Cultural Centre, and the Town Hall Srebrenica

We would like to thank: Friends of Srebrenica for help with publicity, Marijela Margeta, Technical Director of National Theater Sarajevo for help with the costumes, Sarajevska Pivara, primary school “Petar Petrović Njegoš”, primary school “Kosta Todorović” Skelani and kindergarten “Poletarac” Srebrenica

Rehearsal in big hall

2010-05-28T11:12:00.000+02:00

After months of practicing in separated groups (dance, acting, music) the time is there to put everything together towards one performance. Last Tuesday the rehearsal in the big hall couldn't take place because of a power cut.

Thursday almost the same happened. But after 15 minutes of waiting the power was back and we could start with the rehearsal. Everybody was exited; rehearsing on a big stage is something different. We have one week more to practice and get used to the big stage before the premier of the 'Unreal Reality'.

Music workshop in Potocari

2010-05-26T19:50:00.001+02:00

Music worskhop in the kindergarten

2010-05-26T19:45:00.001+02:00

Dance workshops in Srebrenica

2010-05-26T19:32:00.000+02:00

Welcome to this blog!

2010-05-26T18:20:00.000+02:00

Hello all!

Welcome to this weblog. I'd like to invite you all to visit this blog and share your ideas, experiences and expectations of the Children's Music Theater and the Music Bus. If you have any story or pictures you'd like to share (of yourself, Srebrenica, workshops with children, anything), please post them!

If you haven’t been invited yet and you’d like to join this blog, send me an email at m.smedema@musicianswithoutborders.org and I’ll send you an invite.

I'm looking forward to seeing you all online!

Marijke