A little while back, I put out a call for dance costume donations that would be sent to 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt for their Winter performance. Boxes full of costumes came in from dancers everywhere from Maine to California. I cannot thank everyone enough, but I will start the gratitude here, in time for Thanksgiving. Event updates and pictures are also headed your way as the event develops further (details at the bottom of this post).

 

Sending an ocean full of thanks to…

The amazing Patsy Garcia and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, School, Archives, Community Programs

for the heart, coordination and groundwork.

LOGO Pillow Green-2013-1

 

And to

The Dance Costume Donors

    • Easy Talent Academy – Cairo, Egypt
    • Gina Daley – Victor MT
    • Jennifer Gamache-Dubilo, Artistic Director, Artistic Dance Conservatory – East Longmeadow MA
    • Jean Jacquer, Stepping Stone Performers of Canaan – East Canaan CT
    • Leslie Scott, Founder/President, EDIFY Movement – Valley Village, CA
    • Betsy Melarkey Dunphy, Director, Studio 408 – South Portland ME
    • Claire (age 12) – Chicago IL
    • J. Quealy – Chicago IL
    • Stages Theatre Company – Hopkins MN
    • Westside Academy – Tigard OR
    • CS Lifkey – Sterling VA
    • Nicki Switzer, Mark Fisher Fitness – New York NY

 

The Event and Shipping Sponsors

    • US Embassy Cairo and the Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador David M. Satterfield
    • The Honorable Maged Refaat Aboulmagd, Consul General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Chicago
    • Leslie Banas
    • Jennifer Lou Barnes Sotherden
    • Jamie Beckland & Michael Pope
    • Ann Cong
    • JR Glover
    • Rachel Lynn Jackson
    • Leslie Johnson
    • Maura Keefe
    • Ginger Gascon Menard
    • Celeste Miller
    • Mary Ellen Noonan
    • Mark Pascoli
    • Jennifer Reef
    • Jenny Sowry
    • Dennis Thomas
Dancing at 57357 Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt

Dancing at 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt

Dancing at 57357 Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt

Dancing at 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt

 

57357: ARTS DAY

The children of 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt have performances and parties for them everyday. But they have never taken to the stage themselves, never been applauded. We plan to change that by coordinating an Arts Day this winter in collaboration with Egyptian and American artists in Cairo as well as artists in the States. Many of the patients are coming from poorer backgrounds, Syria/Sudan, and are caught in an increasingly ideologically divided country. Let’s help them be the artists they are.

 

Goals

  • More than 200 children with cancer will have the opportunity to perform or engage in art-making experiences during an Arts Day event in December/January.
  • More than 15 American and Egyptian artists will collaborate and exchange best practices in social practice arts.
  • The hospital staff and general arts community will increase the role and potential of the arts in community building and youth development.
  • We will increase understanding between Americans and Egyptians through coverage of the event on both American and Egyptian blogs and media outlets, having Americans donate the costumes and follow the event, and promoting the US Embassy event and performance on social media and materials.

Description

A dynamic day of performance and art-making experiences for the patients and families at 57357 Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt (including a costumed dance performance, musicians and an instrument petting zoo in the chemotherapy treatment center, drama and storytelling workshops on the in-patient floors, poetry or song in the lobbies, and a contemporary visual arts workshop and exhibition in the out-patient wing with the teen therapy group). Before the event, there would be Training workshops for the nursing staff and artists.