Report on the results of the dance4life activities as part of Sensation 2011 in Russia

On the night of June 19, 2011, with the support of ROSDANCE, dance4life Russia was presented for the second time at the Sensation festival of electronic music in St. Petersburg.

This year the show was called CELEBRATE LIFE! This name came up a lot due to the successful cooperation of the Festival with dance4life internationally.

Celebrate Life was a show where the guests for the first time were both spectators and participants of a grand performance. Over 20 thousand people from all over the country attended the festival! A real pyramid was built in the middle of the "Petersburgsky" Sports and Concert Center. On the top of the pyramid there was a floor for DJs, while its sides were filled with people in white - visitors of the festival.

Like last year, Sensation organizers granted 50 euro cents of every ticket sold for the development of dance4life Russia project, aimed at preventing HIV infection and protecting health of young people.

Thus, anyone who bought a ticket for Sensation, had already made a contribution to protecting the health of Russian youth.

dance4life ambassadors also participated In Sensation 2011: Fedde le Grand - international dance4life ambassador, DJ FEEL – dance4life Russia ambassador!

Fedde Le Grand DJ Feel

Many visitors to Sensation 2011 took an active part in the infotainment program focusing on personal health, which was presented at the festival by the dance4life Russia team, consisting of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Veliky Novgorod volunteers.

By prior agreement with the organizers, the dance4life worked with the visitors as follows. In the lobby of the “Peterburgsky” SCC, where the festival took place, along with the stands of other partners, there was a special booth for the dance4life team (10 people).

The project volunteers invited the visitors to answer questions related to reproductive health and HIV prevention, as well as the history of the Sensation festival. A participant was presented a condom for 3 correct answers (thanks to the cooperation with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, we were able to receive Love condoms for free distribution). If the participant could not immediately give the correct answer, he passed on to a consultant to receive reliable information on a particular issue.

Visitors to the festival with great enthusiasm were answering the questions of the dance4life volunteers on health and were granted stickers and Love condoms for correct answers.

Anna Bezrukova, dance4life volunteer, St. Petersburg

"The participants were most wonderful and intelligent. They were as happy as kids when they gave correct answers and were presented with prizes. Moreover, we were thrilled that they asked many questions about the project, how we became volunteers, how we were adherent to the position "I want to help everyone to understand". If people ask questions, this means that we have a target audience, so there are many people who will understand us and spread the reliable information among others"

Any visitor could make a donation for dance4life and receive badges, bracelets and other memorabilia with the logo of the project, as gifts.

Especially popular was body art by the dance4life volunteer artists. It attracted a huge number of people to the booth.

The volunteer artists worked with pleasure non-stop almost 5 hours running! Here are just a few art works made by them.

Daria Spitser, dance4life volunteer, St. Petersburg:

"The scope seemed grandiose this year! We really liked the storm of positive emotions and interest in the eyes of the participants. We were pleased to work in united team. I liked the feeling of concentrated work most of all – ‘Say no to rest and feel hyper-helpful!’ Long live the positive thinking and active life! "

A special highlight was that the participants were able to make their own badge just at the dance4life booth!

The participants drew and wrote on billets, and then, magically, and with the help of a special machine, the dance4life volunteers turned them into real badges.

Elena Petrova, dance4life coordinator, Veliky Novgorod:

"I was amazed at the boundless joy of the participants receiving condoms as prizes for correct answers! And it was interesting to hear: "Why do I need a condom?" Or "I have my own with me!" Many of the participants bought bracelets and badges just to feel involved in the project. I'm not a fan of club music, but this event shocked me! And most of all I liked the absence of alcohol sale outlets. "

Take a look at other Sensation partners who were brightly and enthusiastically working together with us all night long in the lobby of the “Peterburgsky” SCC!

According to our calculations, more than 2 000 people were actively involved in dance4life events for the whole evening, and the donations at the festival amounted to over 30 000 rubles. We are grateful to everyone who supported us!

Many thanks to our volunteers, ROSDANCE and AIDS Healthcare Foundation who made this event possible!

The report is written by:Yulia Koval-Molodtsova, dance4life PR-manager