The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

Posted: 21 Oct 2011 01:18 AM PDT

Artistic expressions developing on city streets are helping marginalised youth all over the world.

WHEN you see thousands of refugees, including children, fleeing the turmoil inside Myanmar across the border into Thailand, what can you do?

If you are a performing arts proponent like Jerry Snell, you may want to help them by teaching them circus acrobatics and hip-hop street dancing.

Snell was inspired by the success of the world famous Cirque du Soleil's outreach programme called Cirque du Monde (Circus of the World), which teaches circus techniques to vulnerable, otherwise rejected, young people to help them get their self-confidence back and to reconnect with society.

Snell was also heartened by how eight young Cambodians, after a childhood spent in refugee camps on the Thai border, returned to their country and created Phare Ponleu Selpak, a circus and arts school to help vulnerable youth, such as street and trafficked children and orphans, reintegrate into society. "In 12 years this organisation has expanded to over 800 students," says Snell.

* Full story in The Star today

Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 21 Oktober 2011