Timisoara, Romania

We have arrived in beautiful Timisoara, Romania. We're staying in a nice little hotel, right off the main town plaza (called a piata in Romanian). There are dozens of shops, cafes, gelato, live music, and more just a few walking steps away from our door, and we are loving it. Last night many of our group members took advantage of "Jazz Fest" happening in the square, and stayed out late for a lively, packed concert with Al Jarreau.

There was supposed to be a parade when we arrived yesterday, but due to the rain, it got canceled at the very last second. But since the band was in costume already, they decided to make the most of it, and went out into the square and put on their own show.

The next thing you know, dozens of people had gathered around to watch the band. They even called out a few requests! The highlight was when a Romanian woman, who now lives in the States, suddenly stepped out and started to clog! Our founder and leader, Dennis, quickly joined her. The crowd loved it! It was fun to watch!

After dinner we went over to the festival, held in the "Park of Roses" and watched a few of the other groups. This festival has street vendors with lots of food, local wares, etc. We're very excited to spend more time there today, and perform tonight!

The International Spirit of Friendship

Caden, Emily, and Josh in costume with some cute little dancers from Ukraine

One thing that has really struck me on this tour is the international spirit of friendship. In Belgrade we saw it with the generosity of the host families. They opened up their homes, invited us in, cooked for us, drove us around, and helped with all sorts of problems. They weren't paid for this. In fact, some of them probably spent a good deal of money to host and feed us. But they did it anyway out of a spirit of friendship that stems from the common language of dance and performance.
As dancers there is a common ground and understanding amongst everyone. We all understand the hard work, sore feet, time, and effort that is required to travel and perform. Not only does the story our dancing tell share a message and the history of our country matter, but the friendships and respect built among the teams matters too. It's not just about the 20 minute show we put on. There is much more to these tours than that. Increased understanding and appreciation for other cultures is good for everyone.