In 2001, 2005 and again in 2015 Gunardo has been a great help for NDPT arranging a Tour. We all came back from the tours with a better cultural and human understanding.
In 2001, the University of Buenos Aires turned 180 years.
Gunardo suggested the Sportsdirector of the univercity to invite a Danish Gymnastics Team for the occasion.
Gunardo tells:
At that time B.A. University was member of ISCA, and I had been lucky to meet Johannes Bjerre while I was travelling in Denmark in 1980. That is how the contact was established.
It becase a long trip. First NDPT did a show at the stadium of the university in Buenos Aires, where the show was recorded by the official services television, TV (Canal 7) and distributed to the entire country.
Slightly more than 1000 people were delighted with the team's work, and the next day it was getting detained in various newspapers in the main state.
The team was out visiting Club Boca Juniors, and did some Tango in the tango district of San Telmo, and the day after the show, we drove the bus to General Roca, 1100 km from BA, where the team was staying, and appeared on "Club Deportivo Roca".
There was again over 1,000 people to watch, and great enthusiasm for the show.
The next day NTDP was doing a show in the city of Neuquén, (60km from Roca), which is the capital of the province with the same name. They made a show in a gymnasium with lots of school children who really enjoyed the show.
Again the team went back to the Argentinian roads, this time against Godoy Cruz, on the outskirts of the city of Mendoza, capital of the province with the same name, 800 km from Neuquén. It was a bigger stadium and 3,000 people had the oppertunity to watch the lovely team.
The following day traveled Gunardo home with a good feeling of a successful trip.
2005: Again in Buenos Aires. (Love Story)
This time there was only two shows in the capital. Only at the provincial capital, the city of La Plata, 50 kilometers Bs. Aires, where the choice for performance floor was Club Estudiantes.
Next evening NDPT did a show at CENARD (National High Performance Center) with 2000 people watching.
I remember three old teachers, of whom only alive now. They had all three been excellent gymnasts and Physical education teachers. All three had been teachers at the same Gymnastics Institute as me. They were simply delighted. One of them said to me after the show had finished, "I saw Niels's team in the thirties and later. These young men are even better, and they have developed their heritage. "
Alberto Dallo said the same. He thanked and embraced me, and said that this team was faithful to its roots, but had developed the Danish gymnastics up to an incredible evel. He was simply impressed and it was great for me to hear.
2015: Nordpatagonisk tournée
This tour was characterized as the tour where the Argentine customs didn't let the equipment enter the country.
Everything started with a visit from Johannes Bjerre, who I came to visit. Buenos Aires was not further interested, they told me that it was summer, and people would go to the beach, and they were not sure if the public would be arround.
So the journey went against Viedma, Rio Negro province's capital. There was a conversation with the very highest authority, the Tourist Culture & Sports Minister ROVIRA BOSCH.
Johannes showed film from the team, the Minister was delighted, and Sport sekretary (who later would be valuable to us), were instructed to arrange 4-5 performances during the 12 days the team would be traveling in the province.
After that the went on towards Bariloche, the major tourist town (140,000 inhabitants), then Chile.
Valdivias "Universidad Austral's" sportsdirector, had a first conversation with Johannes Bjerre.
We were happy that the whole tour was already planned, that was in December 2013.
Three months after the Minister ROVIRA BOSCH resigned from the government.
Another eight-month and there was a change in valdivia municipality, and "Los Ríos" region (region, province, state), so we could start all over again with the planning.
Then came Mario Cesarin forward and helped me thoroughly to make deals with the same offices and clubs from the province of Rio Negro, and at the end of the year, we had a new plan: Viedma (the capital, 80,000 inhabitants) - Las Grutas seaside resort 200 km away, Gral Roca (120,000 inhabitants), 400 km from Las Grutas, Allen, Cipolletti and Bariloche. It ended up being several shows, to be able to secure the economy.
If Mario had not supported his old handball teacher fromthe gymnastic and sports institute (me) it would never have been possible.
In Viedma, the show was merged with the river party and 4,500 people cheered at NDPT. Las Grutas became a display of sand, General Roca with full of audience (3.000) and there was an opportunity for the little girls from the club to participate 20 minutes before the show by NDPt.
In Allen we did a workshop in the square outside the official building of the city with lots of audience, children and some brave adults who also joined.
Cipolletti was entertained too full (2,000 spectators), and in Bariloche, just over 1,000.
We also arranged a meeting with the Danish Club in Dina Huapi, 10 km from the city. The team got the history of a Danish platoon who had been staying at Ollerup in the thirties with Buch and who had builded the city from the start with handmade channels, and forrest planting of pine trees. The city is now at 8000 inhabitants.
Jens Brendstrup was his name, and he died in December 2001, when his work could be counted at 4,000 inhabitants.
Then we were heading against OSORNO, Chile. NDPT did a show for 3,500 people who were delightet at the city Kolos Stadium. We spent the night there and the next day we arrived at Valdivia, where we stayed for three days.
The show was at a very fine municipal stadium with full audience. (4500)
I must say that stay in Chile was the best also when it came to how it was organized
After 10 performances at nordpatagonien, we said goodbye to the lovely young people who were sent away in a bad bus from Buenos Aire. And it was a tired and suddenly older guy who traveled back to his home - I can not even remember how tired I was.
But it was, after all, an experience I would not miss if I could choose.
NDPT team gave to a phenomenal show tournée and it was not only the shows and the gymnastics that made me proud. The light hair and eyes, their incredible smiles during the entire trip was full of sympathy and friendship, even during all the trouble. Thank you
