Students from 6 continents on a mission to move people in Denmark

07/09/2016

Next week will be a big week for 40 international students from Denmark’s Ollerup Academy of Physical Education as they embark on four days of moving people in Copenhagen. On Monday evening they will join the running NGO Right to Movement for some activities and from Tuesday to Thursday they plan to go “wherever the people are” – in front of the City Hall, on the main shopping street and recreation centres around the city – to get people dancing and having a go at different physical activities.

“We are looking very much forward to being a part of the FlashMOVE and promoting the European Week of Sport, because sports are a big part of our daily life at Ollerup. And we want to show that sport is for everyone no matter how old you are, how you look or your gender,” Ollerup student Estephani Zeballos says.

“Also, for us as students it’s fun to get out and use our different skills, talents, backgrounds and experiences in a new, and for many of us unknown, country. Our goal is to have fun, to learn something and for others to do the same, and most of all to get moving.”

And the group couldn’t be more diverse, representing six continents and 18 different countries. But on this occasion they will dance “together” with similar groups across Europe as part of the #BeActive FlashMOVE. This means that during the European Week of Sport they will surprise passers-by in Ollerup and Copenhagen with the same flash mob dance that will be performed at the official opening ceremony of the week in Slovakia on Saturday and in more than 70 other cities around Europe.

“Some of the students have been doing flash mobs before, but far from everyone, so this is just as new for us as it is for the people who are getting active. We will take it with a smile and have fun,” Estephani says.

Coming from one of Denmark’s most active schools, the students will be showcasing what they do every day as part of their education to those who wouldn’t normally have the chance to visit them on the Danish island of Funen. So Estephani says the group will relish the opportunity to share the academy’s energy with others.

“We hope we can leave people with the same feeling we have after a good day of movement at Ollerup. And we look forward to meeting people of all kinds all in Copenhagen and showing them that being active does not mean you have to run, play football, handball. Moving can be a lot of different things – there are many ways to be active and it can be FUN.”

If you’re in Copenhagen, look out for the Ollerup students at Rådhuspladen, Strøget at Nørrebrohallen from 13-15 September. Please contact ISCA info@isca-web.org for more information as the group’s programme shapes up next week.