In Luckenwalde's youth club

We got to know Sabiha Khalil, a women's rights activist from Syria during our research phase of the project. She invited us on a Sunday to Luckenwalde to document the Kurdish dance group for young girls that she founded.

So we - Ali, Salam, and Lisa - are taking the regional train southwards.

After arriving in Luckenwalde, we are navigating more or less succesful to the youth club KLAB - an institution of the FALKEN.

Here, loud turmoil of young women and girls awaits us. Sabiha and two other Kurdish women greet us and immediately show us the buffet, that they prepared for us. Again we are overwhelmed and touched by the hospitality. Before we can start we have to drink tea and eat. Jimmy, the dog we brought, causes a lot of excitment among the kids: everyone wants to touch him. We almost forget why we came.

There is a lot going on at KLAB: aside from the children, many parents are present, and of course the dance instructor. After shooting the interviews, we are watching the dancing: The girls show us their rehearsed pieces. Salam is filming and trying to catch every angle. The dance steps are complicated, the choreographies long. Instead of dancing in traditional dresses, the girls are wearing jeans and sweaters. Sabiha says she dreams about performances in Kurdish clothes. But she has to find the right garments first.

We are moved: Here in this small town, in a youth club, the newcomers are preserving a part of their culture - with dance lessons, being together and a lot of laughter.

We are grateful to Sabiha for this wonderful afternoon, which was a great enrichment.