Dance in Rio (teach and learn)! - Brazil

from  £995

Dance in Rio (teach and learn)!

Ref:

GYC 1172182

Countries:

Brazil

Duration:

from 2 weeks

  

or call:

0845 3 447 585

more info:

click here

 

This placement would suit:

Anyone keen on immersing themselves in South American culture and helping under privileged children. No qualifications or previous experience are necessary, just a good dose of enthusiasm and love for dancing!

 

Cost details:

£145 per additional week

 

Duration details:

The maximum set duration is 12 weeks, but this placement can be extended up to 6 months total

 

   

Product Details

If you find joy in dance, join us in Rio and share your passion with kids from local shanty towns... The best thing about this project is that you can teach any kind of dance - the centre is open to anything! They mainly teach ballet, however if you love street dance, belly dancing, Egyptian dancing...or any kind of dancing at all, they'll create a slot in the children's schedule for you to teach it. Anything goes and the kids particularly love learning new styles of dance from around the world.

You don't need any qualifications to teach dance in Brazil, just a basic understanding of the moves and enthusiasm to share this with the local kids! You can also combine your project with a dance course in the evenings, where you'll learn samba, salsa, tango, forro and other types of Brazilian and South American dance.

In Santa Tereza, as in many areas of the city, children are exposed to the dangers of poverty and can be easily led into a life of crime and drugs. Dance programmes like this one are essential in terms of providing a positive outlet for energy and a distraction from such a lifestyle. They focus on encouraging children to see the 'good side' of the world - by taking them away from the violence and poverty that they live in and encouraging them to see things in a different way. Along with the people who run and staff the centre, you'll be acting as a positive role model to children to help keep them away from the dangers of the streets.

The ballet school you'll work at during your project was founded by a Brazilian ballet teacher some years ago. She had spent most of her life teaching ballet to Rio's upper classes, and was making a comfortable living from her work. One day, while passing through a favela (shanty town), she met a little girl who asked if she could learn to dance too. The encounter with this little girl made her change the way she looked at her life, and she resolved to set up the centre to provide dance lessons to children who came from very poor, underprivileged backgrounds. It sounds like a bit of a fairy tale, but it's 100% true - this is the lady you'll be working with on your project. Her enthusiasm for life and for dance is infectious, and it's the perfect project for you if you have a passion for dance and want to share it with children.

As well as dance, the kids take part in arts and crafts activities, and (where possible when volunteers are present) English lessons. If you don't want to take English lessons as well as dance, that's fine, just let us know. Otherwise, the centre will almost certainly ask you to get involved in English and other activities, as well as your dance classes. Most of the team at the centre are local community volunteers who are willing to give their help freely. They say that the satisfaction they get from seeing the smiling faces of the children is worth more than any amount of money in the world!

Unfortunately sometimes lessons have to be called off because of the lack of available teachers - so you will certainly help to make a difference and keep the centre going through taking part in this project

The colourful city of Rio, jammed between miles of coastline and mountains, is regarded as one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful cities in the world. It pulses with life and deserves its reputation as Cidade Maravilhosa (Wonderful City). The inhabitants of Rio, known locally as Carioca’s, pursue pleasure like no other people, fully utilizing their impressive beaches with beautiful people, samba, ice cold beers and the local firewater, cachaça!

"Those leaving after a stay in the city, apart from memories of the music, the flavours and the colours, take also something that has no translation - Saudade - (pronounced sau-dá-dji). It is the feeling of nostalgia, of missing something that you had while in Rio, and the certainty that the feeling will only go away when you come back. It is not for nothing that the greatest symbol of the city is waiting for you with open arms. Always." Rio Convention Bureau

Why not combine your volunteering in Rio with a cultural experience whilst you’re there? Travellers can arrange the following for your free time, at your request:

• Learn, practice and play the beautiful fight/dance/art of Capoeira
• Music courses (a variety of local percussion/styles for you to choose from)
• Study Portuguese - immerse yourself in the language, you will be amazed at the effects it brings!
• Photography courses
• Care and crèche work
• Dance and sports coaching

Accommodation and food

Accommodation is situated in the Flamengo region of Rio - just a hop, skip and a jump away from famous Copacabana beach! This is a great place to be as you will be only 3 minutes away from the metro station, opposite the Catete Palace and you will be able to visit Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue with great ease.

Rooms are available as dorms, singles and doubles. If you have a preference, please be sure to let us know at the time of booking and we can make the necessary arrangements for you. All rooms have their own bathroom and individual cupboard with a key for security.

Past volunteers have regarded eating out as one of the highlights of living in South America, and an essential part of Brazilian culture! Because of this, the price of your placement includes your breakfast but for dinner, you’ll get the chance to venture out and sample some of the fabulous food which Rio is famous for.

For breakfast in the hotel you can expect a feast of natural fruits and juices (try the acai - a delicious berry to sprinkle on your granola cereal), coffee, milk, bread, cheese, ham, butter, jams and sweet cakes (popular in Brazil for breakfast) amongst other things - so you certainly won’t be leaving on an empty stomach! You will be allowed to use the kitchen facilities whenever it is not being used by the hotel staff.

Our users say...

"Rio is such a vibrant and beautiful city, the people are so welcoming, therefore I wasn't nervous for long. Everyone at Ballet De Santa Tereza made me feel at home and it was a brilliant experience. I really couldn't of asked for a better bunch of kids! The children at Santa Tereza are so much fun and very talented, I became very close to them all and I miss them very much! A lot of the families there don't have much when it comes to material things but their culture and lively personalities make up for that! Ballet De Santa Tereza is a great organisation, the children enjoy every day there! I suppose it is like an escape for them!

The way in which the Ballet classes were run/taught was a lot different to my Ballet classes in Scotland because here in the UK Ballet is all about discipline and in Rio it was all about having fun, which at the end of the day is more important!

Thank you to everyone who made my trip such an enjoyable and successful one!"

from  £995

Travellers Worldwide

YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! Help children, animals and conservation around the world. Gain valuable work experience and new skills. All ages & nationalities welcome. EXPLORE a new culture from the inside on worthwhile, well-structured projects.

FLEXIBLE: From two weeks to one year - you choose your dates and duration.

  

or call:

0845 3 447 585