Buskaid To Tour Columbia

From the humble streets of Soweto, the Buskaid String Ensemble will go on a 10-day visit to Cartagena, Columbia this July to perform concerts, including collaborations with the Colombian dance project, El Colegio del Cuerpo.

26 members of the ensemble, ranging from ages 10 - 3- will receive this opportunity of a lifetime to share their creative talents with youth from similar backgrounds in the Colombian region of Cartagena, with support from Total South Africa and the Umoja Foundation.

Commenting on her vision for the Buskaid String Ensemble, founder Rosemary Nalden says, "My hope for this visit to Cartagena is that first and foremost we interact socially and artistically with the young dancers of El Colegio del Cuerpo, leading to the performance of at least one piece together which will be choreographed whilst we are there. Our other priority is to present one public performance by the Buskaid Ensemble - of which this collaboration will be a part - at the Opera House in Cartegena. Activities with the Colombian dancers in less-advantaged communities in and around Cartagena are also high priority."

During this Colombian tour, two art forms will converge as this South African youth share their gift of music with the equally talented young dancers from the Colombian El Colegio del Cuerpo. Moved and motivated by a documentary he saw on Film and Arts in South Africa, Alvaro Restrepo, co-founder and co-director of El Colegio del Cuerpo wrote to Nalden, expressing his sentiments on the work Nalden and team are doing for the Buskaid String Ensemble. "Deep and magical coincidences with your work and way of approaching life and education through the Arts motivated me to write this short message to thank you for the beauty, dignity and value of what I felt after seeing and listening to your kids playing and talking about who they have become through the power of music and integral human education," he said. "Maybe someday we could dream of a project together; dancers from Colombia and musicians from South Africa showing the world why it is possible to share not only wealth but most important opportunities and talent," adds Restrepo.

The uncanny similarities between the two ensembles has been the source of joy and hope for the young people who participate in them. Youngsters who have emerged out of the Buskaid Ensemble now enjoy the fruits of their labour. "Around a dozen or so are still at school - the rest are learnership students at Buskaid, or at college/university and one or two are professionals in different fields. Two are currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London," boasts Nalden.