To the Youth Fund Sports & Culture Amsterdam page

Amsterdam | 22 August 2024

Theaterles als ontsnapping aan het alledaagse

Annekatrien Gielkens

Annekatrien Gielkens has been project leader at the Parkwest dance and theater school since 2021. "We teach dance and theater classes with great enthusiasm to children and young people between the ages of 4 and 18 at three locations: Staatsliedenbuurt, Baarsjes, and Spaarndammerbuurt." She does this with great passion: "You should see the students on the day of a performance. One and all the joy and pride to be on such a big stage!”

Lesson from the children's world

At the end of each season, the students perform a performance they create themselves. Annekatrien explains: “With the teacher, they look for a topic that interests them, and then the preparation begins. Children are given various assignments such as improvisation, role-playing, and exploring and pushing their boundaries. Besides creativity and movement, social cohesion also develops within the various groups,” Annekatrien explains. “The teachers are graduates of the University of the Arts and believe it's important to create an atmosphere in which every child feels comfortable opening up and feels free to share their thoughts and perspectives. On the day of the performance, you see the pride and joy of being able to stand on such a large stage. Performing for their family and friends is an unforgettable experience for a child. Seeing those happy faces is what I do it for; that's where my heart lies.”

Photo by Marc Roodhart

Contact family

At Parkwest, contact with parents and understanding their home environment are very important. "Experience shows that good contact with families means children stay in our classes longer and we can truly build a bond with them," explains Annekatrien.

Annekatrien is very pleased with the collaboration with the Youth Fund for Sport & Culture: "The Youth Fund ensures that we don't have to turn away any child from taking lessons with us. This aligns perfectly with Parkwest's goals: that every young Amsterdammer should be able to develop their talents and fully participate and contribute to society."

During class, the children escape the daily grind of school and home. They're happy to dance, learn new steps, and engage in theater.