Social work at Paidéia – young people on stage

Every weekend the Paidéia fills up with youthful energy when young people from all over the metropolis of São Paulo come together to do drama.

At nine o’clock the stages already start to shake under many feet. In three or four different rooms the various groups begin their work. They are divided into groups according to the length of time that they have been members at the Paidéia. In one group all the new-comers gather, in another all the participants from last year are to be found and in yet another are all the “old-timers”. In each group there is an age difference of up to 20 years, which doesn’t, however, detract from the atmosphere of understanding within the group.

Once everyone has arrived, personal problems and fears retreat in the face of a new focus –acting!. Outwardly one can see this in the change of outfits. Shoes are taken off and jeans, miniskirts and tops (everyday clothes) are swopped for comfortable pants and loose T-shirts (clothes that allow easy movement)

During the last preparations, before the drama lessons begin (reading, rehearsal of various scenes, movement exercises etc.) one can hear peals of laughter from all over the place. The Paidéia members are teasing each other and messing around. Some are lost in conversation and others are relating the important experiences of the last week. Even an outsider can clearly see that there is something that connects all these young people, despite their differences and regardless of how long they have been part of the Paidéia.

Fabio - a young man from a favela

Fabio Lima has been a part of the Paidéia for a long time. He is of average height with deep set eyes, thick and untamed curls and a clear voice. Apart from a certain tiredness in his eyes, there is no indication that he is, at the age of 29, the second oldest member of the group. In this group, in which the experienced young actors of Paidéia are to be found, the actors are between 15 and 33 years of age. And the difference in age is only one of many differences between the young people, who are all equal on stage.

Fabio started taking part in the courses at the Paidéia in 2003. At the time he was neither studying nor working and therefore had time to invest in the theatre projects at the Paidéia. Fabio, who comes from a favela, had never acted before and neither had he ever seen a theatre performance. He entered a whole new world. A world apart from the financial difficulties, the bad infrastructure and social problems of his surroundings. It gave him an opportunity, which is very rare in Sao Paulo: to do something with other people that one loves and that brings joy over and over again. Something that causes new friendships to flourish and that feeds the dreams of a better world. Yes, theatre!

The Paidéia offered Fabio the opportunity to take part in many different plays and performances, both as an actor and as a member of the audience. At the time we didn’t have our own premises and were using rooms at a big public library. He also got to know various different methods of acting and directing plays. He acted in classical pieces like Goethe’s” Faust”, contemporary experimental plays such as” Sampa-Oper-Samba” and critical biographical stories such as “Marchemoi” (the story of a group of polish Jews who escape the Holocaust by going into hiding). Off of the stage he is part of the Paidéia choir, just like all our young actors.

Since 2000 the choir has been lead by Paulo Franco, a Waldorf teacher. The theatre courses take place on Saturday morning and the choir rehearses for two hours on Saturday afternoon. Various theatre projects with music and concerts have come into being under his leadership. Today the music programme includes guitar lessons and a small orchestra (conducted by the theatre musician and composer Marcos Iki). In addition to the musical activities there are debating groups, further education courses and lectures.

At the “Paidéia Mostra” festival, which took place for the first time in 1998, Fabio not only got to know theatre groups from all over Brazil, but was also a technical assistant. He continued to play this role when the festival was replaced by the international theatre festival “Uma Janela para a Utopia” (a window to Utopia).

The intention behind the festival is to create a dialogue about contemporary child and youth theatre. The exchange and experiences with the international theatre groups are very important for the work at the Paidéia. Each of the groups that are invited has to present something of their own.

The Paidéia is so special, because the founders and directors, Aglaia Pusch and Amauri Falseti have created a place where art can be created. A place that is constantly changing, that is flexible enough to grow through and with everyone who participates and where people can truly meet each other.

Like an oasis

To give the children and teenagers access to high quality art and the possibility to become creative themselves, is the focus of the actors and directors. On the weekends the young people and teenagers come to Paidéia and during the week the children and other groups are given the opportunity to hear stories, make music, tell stories on stage and slip into various roles.

This work with children, who for the most part attend state schools, is one of the most important parts of our work at the Paidéia. The Paidéia is like an oasis for them. Here they are listened to and here they have their first contact with music and theatre. Here they have the possibility to breathe out and leave their problems behind them.

Schools and groups of children are often brought to the Paidéia by former actors. Many of them have become teachers or nursery school teachers and bring their work and their hobby together. They also take part in the seminars that are offered at Paidéia for Waldorf teachers and other teachers (Fairytales and theatre within education).

In 1998, the married couple Amaurie Falseti and Aglaia Pusch began to form Paidéia with Rogerio Modesto, who is both actor and stage technician. Paidéia grew out the former Monte Azul theatre group. Since then Paidéia has grown steadily around these three. The ensemble has changed, but work continues and they are open for all sorts of different projects.

One of the most important changes took place in 2005 when Paidéia moved onto its own premises, which are not of the temporary variety. In old factory buildings that had been deserted for years and which were, for the most part, in serious need of renovation, an attractive and comfortable theatre came into being. The two halls, rooms for rehearsals, workshops, a little house for volunteers, an office and cafeteria make the Paidéia into an independent and flexible culture centre.

The newest projects for this year are a small library and a further small theatre which is to house a cinema (for art films and cinema classics)

Although the buildings officially belong to the Paidéia, there is always uncertainty regarding the future. In addition to the constant financial worries, the property belongs to the city of São Paulo. It is possible that a notice could come one day ordering them to move out.

The different rooms and the different activities which can be offered as a result, make it possible for the young people to meet at a place far removed from the social polarity and conflict issues (Poverty/wealth, violence, disease) where they can think about the world and where a creative process can take place. Such processes move the young people who come and came here. The Paidéia plays an important role in their lives and can also show them which path to take in life. Whether they are still active or not, they identify themselves with the Paidéia and contribute to its continued existence (also by working in the café, office or on the technical side of things).

Great recognition – but continued fears for the future

With the piece “Com o Rei’na Barriga” (With the king in my tummy by Amaurie Falseti) Paidéia will appear on television for the first time. In addition, the director Amaurie Falseti received the 2010 APCA prize for the best script for a play (childrens’theatre) and the Paidéia has been nominated in four categories at the FEMSA: best main actor, lighting, music and script.

The future of the Paidéia depends to a large degree on the readiness of the artists (actors, authors and directors) to devote themselves to this cultural social work at the price of their own needs. The actors and other co-workers (16 altogether) all work on a voluntary basis, although the work requires as much of their time as a full time job.

On the search for sponsors there is a constant struggle to secure a fair salary for all the co-workers. With the support of our present donors only the costs that the co-workers incur can be reimbursed and even that falls away in bad times. Then they really work for nothing. This situation forces almost everyone to work somewhere else in addition to their work at Paidéia, in order to earn enough money to live from.

Each person who works at the Paidéia has chosen this path with all its difficulties. They work together towards opening a window to Utopia. The Paidéia is kept alive by the help of the donors and the willpower and strength of all who are involved. A great deal is invested and a great deal is given back on the other side.

Not only Fabio’s theatrical abilities increased during his time at the Paidéia. His entire personal development was positively influenced. In 2004 he managed to get into the biggest university in Latin America and began studying law at one of the best law institutes on the continent. When he finishes his degree and starts working as a lawyer, his time at Paidéia will come to an end. But he will return and he will always remember the openness and joy that Paidéia brought him.

Florian Hein

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