A New Audience

The Hip Hop dance club in which Syd partakes was invited to perform at the Suzhou Social Welfare Center's 2nd Annual International Day this past Sunday. The expats who volunteer at the center, which includes an orphanage, psychiatric hospital, and nursing home, helped organize the event. Similar (but not really) to the International Day at Dulwich, there were country booths manned by volunteers from their respective countries. Several hotels donated their time and food as well.

Sydney's dance teacher picked her and Cate S up at 8am. Anne and I decided to investigate this event. Neither one of us had been to this facility and we were both pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous grounds. We'd both heard horror stories and the areas not accessible to 'foreigners'. This event, however, brought in a lot of press, so only the positive was shown. We arrived about ten minutes early giving us a time to scope it out. The four-story building in which the event took place housed the elderly patients. We walked through one of the art studios and watched an old woman as she meticulously painted a picture. Some of the paintings that were hanging on the wall were absolutely beautiful.

Soon, the open common-area began to fill. The workers were wheeling, walking and carrying the very young to the very old. Everyone was freshly washed and wearing their Sunday best. I noticed all of the heartbreakingly adorable children had short hair, so there was no way to really tell the girls apart from the boys. Most of them were so excited. Only a couple appeared to be severely handicapped. Again, I'm quite sure only the best of the best were brought out. One of the volunteers told Anne that most of the children will get sick after eating all of the different foods because they mainly eat rice and noodles. The little tikes had their plates piled high with cupcakes, fruit, sandwiches, and cookies. I've often thought about volunteering, but we all know how I am with strays. Put me in a room full of pitiful children and I'll be taking out a loan, wanting to adopt the entire lot.
The two dance groups performed for the crowd, reporters and camera crews. It was quite a task for them to try to dance on astroturf, but they did their best. Afterwards, Syd and a couple of other girls were in great demand. They posed for pictures for a good five minutes.

Syd said to me later that day, "You know, it wasn't my usual audience, but it was still an audience." If that kid doesn't end up in front of a camera in some capacity I'll be very surpised.