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TenSing Krabcice

Krabcice is my Tensing group. I've go there in 5 years. Although I'm not teenager. Actually I was 23 when I started to go there.

As matter of fact everything started in 1781 when the emperor Joseph II. allowed non-catolic denomination in his empire. A evangelical {reformist} congregation was found in Krabcice. It had been quite huge for long time but after 2nd World War it has been decreasing. At the end of 80' there were only two young people who went to meetings for youth.

The situation changed after the fall of communism. A house for old people in Krabcice returned under the control of church. A new pastor came here. He became also a new manager of this rest house. Some new workers from church came here too. Thanks them new young people started to visit church.

At a meeting of youth from evangelical church from all the Czech republic where youth from Krabcice were, Tensing Norway and Tensing Praha had a concert. The Krabcice pastor liked Tensing ideas. He organized a concert of Tensing Norway in Krabcice. This concert was in September 1994. One months age a team from Tensing Norway came to Krabcice and had a seminar about Tensing here.

I was one of these two young people who came at church. I liked that we sang, told about politics and played at computers there. At that time the belief was so important for me. In my case I was changed thanks these new workers in the rest house.

I saw Tensing fist time at the concert of Tensing Norway in Krabcice. I liked but I thought that they played very loud.

After the seminar nothing happened. After while Miki Erdinger sent invitations for a first meeting of Tensing Krabcice. It was in the middle of January or at the beginning of February (even the participants aren't sure). Meetings continued but nobody exactly know what man did at Tensing rehearsal.

European Alliances of YMCAs has a program for getting volunteers from abroad to local associations for help with their activities. Though there weren't a local association of YMCA in Krabcice at that time our pastor with help of Czech YMCA asked for those volunteers. Two girls from Norway agreed to work in Krabcice.

At those time I know about their meetings but I wasn't interested - "It is only for teenagers. Why should I go there ?"

Both volunteers, Gro and Marit, arrived to Krabcice in September 1995. They had many experience from Tensing work in Norway.

A special page about them.

Both two led Tensing. They prepared every rehearsal. The language was a big problem because only few of us understood English. Everything had to be translated.

After the New Year 1996 we started to prepare a concert. We had got some money from Norway thanks collections which Gro and Marit organized in Norway. We bought some music instrument : electric and bass guitar and loudspeakers. A Tensing board was establish. Gro and Marit gave it step by step responsibility for leading of Tensing.

Our first public performance was on 2.May 1996 at the Catholic parsonage in Roudnice. It was short - only few song. We had only 6 spectators. But we had a experience with the audience.

The next day was the day of the our big concert. We had it in the culture house in Roudnice. We were there from the morning. The concert started at 7 pm. The auditorium was full - parents and schoolmates. It was success. Not perfect but with good atmosphere.

After one week we participated at a ecumenical festival of singing choirs. We had a bad feeling from it : The other choirs sang classical music and wore fine dresses and suits. While we wore jeans, sang rock songs with electric guitar.

Gro departed in the middle of May, Marit a month ago. After the concert we didn't practise new songs but we did some practical work. We decorated our biggest room. In summer some of us attended Tensing camp in Cakov.

Gro and Marit brought me to Tensing. I translated to them. Tensing was something new and attractive for me. It gave me chance to try many various activities. Thanks Tensing I met many interesting people and was in Norway.

Although Gro and Marit was preparing us for the time when they would be away, the beginning in September when we had to do everything alone, was hard. It was a slow start. The most important thing was that we had some people who could conduct.

In the middle of February we had a concert at the Catholic parsonage in Roudnice. We gave much effort to this concert and it helps us to really start Tensing. At the end of February the Czech and Slovak Tensing festival held place in Krabcice. Luckily the Czech Tensing Board took the biggest part of its organization.

At the end of this school year a big group had a final exams. This fact complicated the preparation of the concert. But at the end the concert was also very good.

There was again a Tensing camp during summer holidays. Some of us were there. Not only as participants but as leaders too. Another big Tensing event of this summer was European Tensing Festival in Kiskoros.

At this time I found up what I liked best in Tensing - drama. At our concert we played a drama about Jonah which I've written. Thanks Danda there were a whale on the stage.

We repeated our concert from June in Melnik in September. After this concert our activity was reduced (autumn is a critical season for our Tensing). Some people started to study at university and limited their activities in Tensing. Rest of us felt tired, without ideas. Even we had to cancel a concert.

But the situation changed in the middle of November. Some new people came and last week in November a team from TenSing Norway was in Krabcice. They made a seminar there. At this seminar there were about 50 participants. Some of them continue with visiting of our TenSing. This gave us strength and new inspiration for our work. We also got a technical equipment ( mix + loudspeakers ). We had the Christmas TenSing. Big part of us were in the mountains during winter holidays.

After New Year we started preparation of the concert. We took a part at Tensing festival in Siluvky. On 1. June 1998 we performed at Prague Castle. There was a festival of organizations for youth. Our performance was for Czech YMCA.

The school year we closed with a concert in Roudnice. It was again success. There were also Tensing camp during summer holidays. A main leader and two leaders were from our Tensing group !

I was the main leader. I remembered with mixed feelings. It was a very good camp but a financial disaster.

In September 1998 I left for Haugesund where I spent 10 months as a volunteer by YMCA in Haugesund. I spent Christmas home. Due this circumstance I described this part shortly. Also I haven't new photos because I haven't access to the scanner now.

Tensing Melnik began in September 1998 as a second group under YMCA Krabcice. It had a separated leadership but we did many common action - concerts, we were together in the mountains. Tensing Melnik was very active but Tensing Krabcice started to stagnate.

Next European Tensing festival took place in Litomysl (in the Czech republic), in summer 1999. It meant much work for Czech Tensing. Almost everybody had to work there. We were there too. Despite the work we had much fun there.

I came back from Norway on 16. July. Two days later I arrived for Litomysl. :).

We don't think so. Tensing Krabcice is still active. Even though the stagnation from spring 1999 continued also at autumn. The amount of people who regular attend at meetings, is between 15 and 20. We spent again our winter holidays in Velka Lhota. There were with us not only people from Tensing Melnik but also from Tensing Companie.

In the new year it was even worse. We had 3 meetings but we did nothing. Thanks Lenka and Petra we started to prepare for 3. Czech-Slovak Tensing festival. It was in the middle of march in Melnik. Our appearance was short : 2 songs and 2 dances. But they liked.

I think our appearance was better than it looked at the rehearsals. We had prepared our dances long but with songs it was worse. I was very nervous from our devotion which we had there. It was a drama from a Roman military camp in Palestine (look at a picture).

We'll see.

Our Tensing group meet every Saturday at 3 pm at Old School in Krabcice. It is a building between the post office and the church. Our meeting consist from choir rehearsal, devotion (if someone prepares it) and workshops (the band, the dance and drama workshops). Except this regular activities we have many irregular activities like concerts and weekends.

A page about Tensing generally

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