In an effort to assist in providing some much needed fun and recreational activities for those less fortunate than themselves, 3 inspiring young Canggu Community School students, Dinah Mous, Jesse SjiewOen and An Nisa, initiated a tennis clinic at the Canggu Club on Thursday May 28 during the week long Canggu Classic Tennis Tournament. They invited 21 children aged 10 – 12 years from the Bali Children Foundation (BCF), one of Bali’s major yayasan (charity). Most of this foundation’s work is centred in the North and North West of the island, with all of the children coming from poor and disadvantaged families.
Upon their arrival to the Canggu Club, the excited children were introduced to the coaches (Paul McCabe and Komang) and the three students from CCS. They were given the opportunity to not only learn the basics of tennis but to foster bonds of friendship with some of the other children from different areas of North Bali.
After a productive tennis clinic, the children were treated to a complimentary Bounce Trampolining session: a chance for them to release some tensions in the form of fun and physical activity. Before their departure and return to the North of Bali, they enjoyed a traditional Indonesian buffet kindly prepared by the Indonesian chef at Canggu Club’s Strike Bowling Bar.
Founded in 2003 by local businesswoman Margaret Barry, BCF has over 1000 children on scholarships in the area from Singaraja in the East to Melaya in the West. Most of the children sponsored hail from the areas around Lovina and Banjar.
The BCF works from village to village. After selecting a village with numerous disadvantaged families, local Balinese staff members work with the village leadership (Kepala Desa and Kelians of each Banjar) to introduce these families to BCF and outline the opportunities the scholarships provide.
One of the major components of BCF’s success is their “after school” classes. Each child receives lessons in English language (with the emphasis on spoken English). The older children receive computer lessons in specially set up school rooms with fourteen computers. Teachers for these lessons are provided by BCF. These children also attend clubs which promote the art of Balinese singing and dancing, marital arts (silat), and are run by the older children.
For more than 12 years Bali Children Foundation have worked hard to achieve their aims, and their efforts have paid off. In the 2013-14 school year they had a zero dropout rate at elementary school, with many of these students continuing all the way through to year 12!
But the number of children who still need their help is huge with approximately 20,000 children who will leave school without reaching senior high. Sponsorships are available for Rp2 million a year for elementary school children to Rp4 million a year for a Senior High School student. You can email BCF on info@balichildrenfoundation.org or phone their office in Banjar on +62 811 398 733.
Canggu Club plans to continue contact with BCF through their commitment to helping local community and their ‘Cause We Care’ campaign and sincerely looks forward to working with them again in the future.
To find out more about BCF their website is
www.balichildrenfoundation.org
Dance Like There’s Nobody Watching!
Memories of dance classes in my younger years were not necessarily fond. My taskmaster (and that’s putting it mildly) Ms Gilchrist would stand at the front of the studio, stamping her cane, ‘tut tutting’ at my elephant footed frolicking and not so politely enquiring as to whether I had eaten a football for lunch!! Not my favourite person.
Thankfully The Junior Sports Academy dance program bears no resemblance to my surprisingly brief ballet experiences and youthful and energetic instructor, Hanna Lehtovaara is luckily nothing like the grumpy Madame Gilchrist, promising far more entertainment, variety and fitness focused fun.
Three different classes are aimed at various age groups in order to foster peer group friendships and sustain achievable skill levels across the board, building confidence and self-esteem. The main focus across all age groups is to get kids moving and having a great time.
Dance and Move is for younger boys and girls, targeting ages 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 years. This is where the fun begins! Building confidence is the key as kids find enjoyment in learning some basic moves.Dance Fit &Fun for 6 – 8 years makes it easier for new as well as more experienced dancers to enjoy routines that are scaled to ability. Each class encompassing simple athletic dance moves and choreography.
Dance Fit Max for 9 year olds and over is so much fun it’s like a dance party every week! Students progress through dance moves and the latest in pre-choreographed routines set to top 40 hits, all the while building stamina, coordination and fitness.
Big kids who like to bust a move don’t miss out either as Hanna takes Zumba classes on Tuesdays at 10am. No experience necessary, just be prepared to move, laugh, sweat and enjoy!
As a fitness instructor, Hanna believes that teaching dance for kids is more about dancing to keep fit rather than structuring a course to focus solely on any one particular dance discipline or style. A variety of genres are touched on from classical to hip hop, allowing students to experience a broad spectrum of moves and routines, widening their appreciation of dance as a whole.
Classes are held in the exercise studios at the Canggu Club Fitness Centre. The JSA dance schedule for kids operates on Mondays and Wednesdays with classes commencing from 3pm for the juniors and are 45 minutes duration.
Her considerable experience teaching different types of dance, limitless energy and positive attitude makes Hanna a clear favourite among the children. She has reshaped the JSA dance program to make it more accessible, entertaining and engaging.
The new term for Junior Sports Academy tuition commences from the week beginning Monday August 10th. For further information about dance classes or to check out the schedule, please contact:
dance@cangguclub.com
www.jsabali.com
Phone: +62 361 848 3939 / +62 82 897 193 939
