Volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture in the volunteer editorial office.
Kristina lives in Neukirchen in the Ore Mountains. The former archivist and case manager has travelled to numerous events as a volunteer for Chemnitz 2025. She also loves writing, which is why she came up with the idea of collecting the volunteers' experiences - the starting signal for the volunteer editorial team.
On 20 June 2024, an area directly in front of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Schule on Brühl was transformed into a stage without much effort. No stage panels, no roofing, no side walls - nothing like that. All that was needed was a small sound system with appropriate cabling. This was laid as a large square - and the stage was ready. It can be that simple!
The programme TANZ I MODERNE I TANZ (International Festival for Contemporary Dance) scheduled two performances by the Chameleon Company for 20 June from 5.30 pm to 8.20 pm. We had already been informed the day before that the third part of the programme, "Tango4You", which was intended for dancing along, would unfortunately have to be cancelled. I approached the Brühl at around 6.00 pm and could already hear the final applause for the first performance from afar.
There was a two-hour break between the two performances of the company due to the cancellation of "Tango4You". The audience for the first part of the programme gradually left the street. Until the next audience members arrived, there was enough time to socialise and talk to interested people. Some of the spectators, temporary ones and also us three volunteers, watched the dancers as they did their warm-up or - I assumed - relaxation exercises. I was amazed when the two dancers in the following performance did their exercises on the cold pavement and on semicircular concrete balls due to a lack of other options.
The range of tasks for us volunteers was limited: Flyers had to be distributed, children who might be running across the "stage" during the ongoing programme had to be kept in view. Before the performance, Heidi was handed a broom without further ado. As a matter of course, she carefully swept the performance area. After all, the dancers had to get through their performance safely.
Speaking of conversations: I bumped into two former work colleagues at this event. Coincidences like this are always a nice side effect of volunteer work.
Ms Sabrina Sadowska, ballet director of the Chemnitz municipal theatre and director of the TANZ I MODERNE I TANZ festival, had a lively conversation with three ballet enthusiasts.
Almost at the same time, I got chatting to Adrian Wanliss. He is an advisor to the ballet director of the Chemnitz Municipal Theatre. Originally from Jamaica, he is now an enthusiastic Chemnitz resident.
"Oh Jamaica! Reggae!" I blurted out. "Yes, Bob Marley," he replied with a smile.
During the festival, Adrian was probably something like Mrs Sadowska's right-hand man. We quickly agreed that the Brühl offered ideal conditions for further events of this kind. This realisation is by no means new, as we know. If this traditional street were not revitalised during the Capital of Culture process and afterwards - well, I don't know. In other countries, for example in southern or Latin American countries, people would not have waited long and would have bridged the two-hour break with spirited dancing. Adrian proved me right. I don't want to exaggerate right away. We're not often that fiery and spontaneous, unless it's the European Football Championship - like right now. But it's not all evening yet. Among the many projects planned for 2025, there are sure to be events for the Brühl.
The area around the "stage" had slowly filled up with spectators again. Fifteen minutes to go.
Minutes until the start. We handed out the festival programme again. We put off some disappointed tango lovers until the next day and the Fête de la Musique, Chemnitz.
8 p.m.: The two dancers captivated the audience. After the 20-minute programme, we also applauded enthusiastically.
We were not needed to dismantle the "stage". We said goodbye with a heartfelt "thank you" and a "see you next time".
