Energetic opening act sets the stage for a spectacular dance performance

‘Welcome to IGNITE!’ With these words, the doors of Musis open for a show by Illusionary Rock Company. This performance, featuring five explosive dancers, portrays a search for the origins of energy. It is one of the activities organized by Verre Binding together with connection platform Buddy to Buddy and Musis.

As part of the accompanying opening programme, Arnhem residents—both longtime locals and (former) residents of Arnhem’s asylum seeker centres—meet each other, exchange experiences, and then experience the performance together.

Buddys

In the room where the opening programme is taking place tonight, Olga and Mohammed are chatting together. Olga is half Russian and half Ukrainian. ‘An interesting combination these days,’ she jokes casually. She and Syrian Mohammed are buddies.

Buddy to Buddy connects newcomers with city residents based on equality and shared interests. Olga knows the platform through her mother, who also fled to the Netherlands. ‘Mum was so happy with Buddy to Buddy. She quickly felt at home here because of the activities she could take part in and the social life she built through them.’

Her mother, a colourful woman who worked as a GP in her home country, is also there tonight. A little further away, she is enthusiastically chatting with a group of people.

Mohammed is very happy with Olga. ‘We go play pool together or go for walks,’ he says. ‘Tomorrow we’re going to a film at Focus. Activities like these, just like tonight’s dance performance, are not only fun—they mean so much more. They help you get to know your surroundings better, meet new people, practise the language, and take your mind off things. They inspire you and encourage you to take on new activities yourself.’

Meanwhile, the room has filled up considerably. Georgios Lazakis is hosting the opening programme. A fitting choice, because he is bursting with energy himself. He briefly explains that they are going to play a version of Ik hou van Holland together, but a much more fun one. ‘It’s a quiz about energy!’

But first, he wants everyone to do a warm-up for the quiz. Standing in a circle, they repeat a kind of mantra: ‘You know I can be what I want to be. If I work hard at it, I’ll be where I want to be.’

And then—’Let’s boogie!’—they start dancing to music with a repeating chorus. At first, it feels a little awkward, then it becomes funny, and after that everyone has more or less made it through the uncomfortable part; each person starts moving along in their own way.

Questions with an energetic twist

The quiz consists of four rounds. By asking people to choose whether they would rather see a work of art by Leonardo da Vinci or by Banksy, two teams are formed for the first round. Georgios fires off questions, all with an energetic twist, and the teams can press the button when they know the correct answer.

Every question requires teamwork, because you either have to solve a calculation or find out things about each other. The ice has been broken; no one feels hesitant anymore about asking someone else a question. The language becomes a cheerful mix of mostly Dutch, English, and a bit of everything else—with plenty of gestures to help along the way.

The three-person hotel team

In the second round, the teams are reshuffled. This time, the choice is based on whether people would rather spend their holiday in a treehouse or a city hotel. Much laughter follows, because only one person chooses the hotel. Everyone else is standing with the treehouse team. Two people feel sorry for the lone hotel guest and spontaneously cross over to Team Blue (the hotel).

The challenge now is to build the tallest possible tower out of blocks in just over one minute. Within the teams, the collaboration becomes smoother and smoother. Everyone has already met each other at the warm-up or during the first round. There is a lot of laughter. ‘Shall we put this block here and that big one there?’ and ‘Aaah, it is so wobbely!’ can be heard. After that last remark, Red Tower collapses.

Blue wins—once again to everyone’s amusement, because they are the three-person ‘Hotel Team.’

Doing things together

Then, in round three (with the teams reshuffled once again), the challenge is to blow up as many balloons as possible. Again, within one minute. It takes a lot of energy—and it becomes nearly impossible when everyone is laughing so much.

The fact that not everyone speaks the same language doesn’t matter here either. Blowing up balloons, with or without a pump, becomes another wonderfully universal way of doing something together.

Final round

In the final round, Georgios asks everyone to choose between a row of novels or a stack of comic books; once again, ‘new’ people end up on the same team. The book lovers are given the task of ‘writing the fire out of themselves’ using hot terminology. The others have to express the fire through drawing. ‘Be creative!’ Georgios calls out.

Among the writers, one man shouts: ‘Come on, write down everything that comes into your head!’ In no time, a full mind map emerges, filled with phrases like share the world, bless, sun & desire, and shine your spirit. The artists create a colourful artwork featuring fire, a dragon, and a flamingo.

Afterwards, Georgios enthusiastically sums it up: ‘What you have just done is exactly what the show is about: thinking, feeling, wanting to stay in control, and then… letting go and going for it. You worked together brilliantly—with energy!’

Taking part from day one

After the opening programme, Georgios reflects: ‘In a short amount of time, you grow closer to each other and it becomes easier to connect. Even if you are someone who normally finds that more difficult. By the end of the quiz, there is simply a group standing there; there are hugs, and a sense of movement and energy has emerged.’

Outside the venue, two boys who did not know each other before are looking at something on one of their phones. The warm-up dance gave them a way in: ‘This video was made when I took part in Introdans, a major dance company from here. Would you like to watch?’ Meanwhile, they introduce themselves to each other.

Someone from the Meedoenbalie notices what is happening. She says: ‘It is so important that, as a person, you can do something, learn the language, and feel that you belong somewhere. Ideally from the very first day you arrive here. Evenings like this help enormously.’