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100 unlikely dancers, on stage for the first time. 2 exceptional choreographers. A musical piece that wrote history. The National Theatre hosts the first community dance performance in Romania, on September 5th, 8 p.m., Main Hall, within the framework of the 2009 "George Enescu" International Festival. One hundred young people from Bucharest, Brasov and Sibiu, whom most of us would not imagine on stage, are presenting an electrifying version of Igor Stravinski's "Firebird", under the coordination of choreographers Royston Maldoom (UK) and Josef Eder (Germany), assisted by Marta Hincapié (Columbia), Irina Roncea, Oana Rotariu (Romania) and Iris Lopatta (Germany). The participants (11 to 22 years old) come from very different backgrounds. There are orphans as well as children from prosperous families, children with special needs as well as high achievers. They have no conventional background in dancing and no specific physical abilities, but after an intensive five-weeks training, they come together in an amazing performance, showing that both in art and society, the contribution of each human being matters. The Association "Jungen Rumänen eine Chance!", presided by Monique Gruber, wife of a former Ambassador of Germany to Romania, introduces a new artistic and social concept to Romania: "Community dance", an innovative form of personal development and social communication through art, a chance for all people to create together and reveal hidden talents. The British choreographer Royston Maldoom, decorated by Queen Elisabeth II, has proved that dancing has the power to inspire and change people's lives. "I consider the people I work with as artists and performers and, as much as we are sympathetic to their background, it is not of interest. It is important to acknowledge their disabilities but it is not important as far as the work is concerned. We are here to make theatre, and not just any, but a good theatre, that is our aim. The social results are the results of the artistic and choreographic process", says Royston Maldoom. The German choreographer Josef Eder has long time experience in training amateurs and has successfully worked with Maldoom on previous projects. His eclectic style combines established principles of contemporary dance with techniques borrowed from the Feldenkrais and the Alexander methods, Yoga and Pilates. The dance concept he developed was named "Body as Voice". To start with, the Firebird will be an artistic event presented to the Romanian public. First in Bucharest, then in Sibiu, where a second representation will take place on September 8th. Maldoom and Eder's experience and achievements promise an exceptional performance, worthy of professionals. Then, on the long term, the Firebird opens new perspectives for the artistic and social practices in Romania. The project is supported by a number of companies that understood its value and the benefits of its impact on Romanian society. If Magic is the consultancy company that will implement the project and coordinate its future development. Free entrance for the public, within the limit of available seats. General rehearsal at the National on 5 September, 11.00, also open to the public. For further details go to www.pasareadefoc.ro Photos: Daniel Angelescu (1&2), Bettina Stoess (3)

All human societies are "spectacular*" in their daily life and produce "spectacles" at special moments. They are "spectacular" as a form of social organization and produce "spectacles" like the one you have come to see. Even if one is unaware of it, human relationships are structured in a theatrical way. The use of space, body language, choice of words and voice modulation, the confrontation of ideas and passions, everything that we demonstrate on the stage, we live in our lives. We are theatre! Weddings and funerals are "spectacles", but so, also, are daily rituals so familiar that we are not conscious of this. Occasions of pomp and circumstance, but also the morning coffee, the exchanged good-mornings, timid love and storms of passion, a senate session or a diplomatic meeting - all is theatre. One of the main functions of our art is to make people sensitive to the "spectacles" of daily life in which the actors are their own spectators, performances in which the stage and the stalls coincide. We are all artists. By doing theatre, we learn to see what is obvious but what we usually can't see because we are only used to looking at it. What is familiar to us becomes unseen: doing theatre throws light on the stage of daily life. Last September, we were surprised by a theatrical revelation: we, who thought that we were living in a safe world, despite wars, genocide, slaughter and torture which certainly exist, but far from us in remote and wild places. We, who were living in security with our money invested in some respectable bank or in some honest trader's hands in the stock exchange were told that this money did not exist, that it was virtual, a fictitious invention by some economists who were not fictitious at all and neither reliable nor respectable. Everything was just bad theatre, a dark plot in which a few people won a lot and many people lost all. Some politicians from rich countries held secret meetings in which they found some magic solutions. And we, the victims of their decisions, have remained spectators in the last row of the balcony. Twenty years ago, I staged Racine's Phèdre in Rio de Janeiro. The stage setting was poor: cow skins on the ground, bamboos around. Before each presentation, I used to say to my actors: "The fiction we created day by day is over. When you cross those bamboos, none of you will have the right to lie. Theatre is the Hidden Truth". When we look beyond appearances, we see oppressors and oppressed people, in all societies, ethnic groups, genders, social classes and casts; we see an unfair and cruel world. We have to create another world because we know it is possible. But it is up to us to build this other world with our hands and by acting on the stage and in our own life. Participate in the "spectacle" which is about to begin and once you are back home, with your friends act your own plays and look at what you were never able to see: that which is obvious. Theatre is not just an event; it is a way of life! We are all actors: being a citizen is not living in society, it is changing it. Augusto Boal

On the 28th and the 29th of November, 7.30 PM and on the 30th of November, 5.00 PM, The National Theatre of Bucharest and the French Institute in Bucharest have the pleasure to invite you to an impressive contemporary dance show: Snow White, the last creation of the Ballet Preljocaj, France. The choreography is signed by Angelin Preljocaj, French choreographer born in Albania, the music is by Gustav Mahler and the costumes are designed by the famous Jean-Paul Gaultier. Snow White is a great romantic contemporary ballet, based on the Grimm brothers' version of the fairytale. Angelin Preljocaj is working with all 26 dancers of the company on the most beautiful scores of Gustav Mahler's symphonies. "I was very keen to tell a story, offer something magical and enchanted. No doubt it was to avoid getting into a rut. And also because, like everyone, I love stories. I have followed the version by the Grimm brothers, with just a few personal variations based on my own analysis of the symbols in the tale. Bettelheim describes Snow White as an Oedipus in reverse. The wicked stepmother is without doubt the central character in the tale. She is the one who I examine through her narcissistic determination not to give up on seduction and her role as a woman, even if it means sacrificing her stepdaughter. The understanding of symbols belongs to adults as well as children; it's for everyone, and that's why I like fairy tales. Snow White is a narrative ballet with its own dramatic content." Angelin Preljocaj Snow White Ballet Preljocaj 2008 Creation at the Biennale de la danse de Lyon, France Piece for 26 dancers Duration of the performance: 1h50 Choreography: Angelin Preljocaj Music: Gustav Mahler and 79 D Costumes: Jean Paul Gaultier Set design: Thierry Leproust Danseurs at creation Isabelle Arnaud, Neal Beasley, Virginie Caussin, Gaëlle Chappaz, Hervé Chaussard, Damien Chevron, Baptiste Coissieu, Craig Dawson, Davide Di Pretoro, Sergio Diaz, Sébastien Durand, Caroline Finn, Céline Galli, Alexandre Galopin, Yan Giraldou, Natacha Grimaud, Emma Gustafsson, Ayo Jackson, Jean-Charles Jousni, Emilie Lalande, Céline Marié, Lorena O'Neill, Bruno Péré, Zaratiana Randrianantenaina, Nagisa Shirai, Julien Thibault Co-production Biennale de la danse de Lyon / Conseil Général du Rhône (France), Théâtre National de Chaillot (France), Grand Théâtre de Provence (France), Staatsballet Berlin (Germany) For more information, pictures and videos please visit: Ballet Preljocaj French Instute in Bucharest The tickets are now available at the NTB's Ticket Agency. Phone number: 021. 314. 71. 71. The ticket price: 40, 60 and 100 RON.

We have the honor to invite you at the premiere of Seven at One Blow, a new play written by Lia Bugnar and directed by Ion Caramitru, on Saturday the 25th of October 2008, 7 PM, at the Black Box.   For more information visit the show's page: Seven at One Blow