Ten Sing
Ten Sing is a Christian youth program within the YWCA and YMCA, engaging teenagers in creative performing arts.
Activities, goals and values
Ten Sing work is based on a common agreement between member countries of the European Ten Sing Group - The Ten Sing Idea:
Abstract
Ten Sing is an international Youth programme within the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) and YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association), which focuses on getting young people to express themselves by using their own culture through creative performing arts.
The main aims
The underlying objectives are leadership training, democracy training and personal and social development of body, mind and spirit. Ten Sing invites young people to a creative work process that uses different cultural expressions in a Christian context.
The three C's
The three C's "Culture, Creativity and Christ" are equally important parts of the Ten Sing idea.
By young people, for young people.
Young people know best what young people think, dream of, feel and desire. Therefore, young people should be active in the management of Ten Sing and take responsibility for running programmes themselves.
Young responsibility, adult presence
Ten Sing is for young people, with young people and run by young people. Even though the young people are responsible for the programme, it is important to have adult presence. Adults should act as mentors for the youth leaders. The adults should be a resource for help, support and advice when needed.
The whole human being
Everybody has talents that can be used in Ten Sing, and everyone should get the chance to be creative and active with his or her own mind and body, thus stimulating their spirit. This happens through a great variety of performing arts, such as music, dance, drama, video and other creative expressions. The Ten Sing programme focuses on "the whole human being", with spirit, mind and body. The YMCA-logo - the triangle - illustrates that all parts are equally important.
Process before product
To reach the goal of developing young people, Ten Sing focuses on the process of making a creative performance. The process is the tool to make everybody contribute. Therefore, the young people should develop both social and creative skills.
This is why the process itself is the key: Letting the young people work together regularly in a safe environment, trying and failing, challenging each other, developing and growing, whilst creating a product that the young people can enjoy and be proud of. This enables them to reflect and value their achievements and skills gained through the process.
Open membership, Christian leadership
Ten Sing is open to everyone irrespective of gender, beliefs, abilities, talents, ethnic and social background. It is not necessary to be a Christian to be a member of Ten Sing. Nevertheless, to secure the Christian context of Ten Sing it's important that at least one of the key leaders is a Christian.
Origin
Ten Sing originated from Norway in 1968. The name "Ten Sing" is a combination of the Norwegian suffix "-ten" (en. "-teen") and the English word "sing" – a kind of language mixing that was quite common in Norway at the time.
The first Ten Sing group was started in Bergen by Kjell Grønner. It was inspired by Sing Out, which later became known as Up with People. The years that followed more groups were formed in Norway, and today there are over hundred groups all over Norway. The Norwegian YWCA–YMCA wanted to implement Ten Sing in other European countries, and the starting point was Germany in 1986. This was the start of Ten Sing Norwegen, now Ten Sing Norway.
The first European Ten Sing Conference was held in 1987.
Key events in the European Ten Sing Group (ETS)
- 1993: Germany (Dobelmühle)
- 1995: Norway (Haugesund)
- 1997: Hungary (Kiskörös)
- 1999: Czech Republic (Litomysl)
- 2003: YMCA Festival Czech Republic (Prague)
- 2006: Denmark (Århus)
- 2008: YMCA Festival Czech Republic (Prague)
- 2011: Germany (Ziegenhain)
- 2013: YMCA Festival Czech Republic (Prague)
- 2018: Celebrating 50 years of Ten Sing, Norway
- Annual European Ten Sing Group Conference (location varies)
Ten Sing Norway
Ten Sing Norway is a one-year leader training program within the YMCA/YWCA of Norway. During the year the participants visit YMCA and YWCA - festivals, Ten Sing groups, youth clubs and groups within the YMCA/YWCA in both Norway and Europe. When on tour, Ten Sing Norway is holding seminars, shows, concerts and Ten Sing rehearsals. The participants live at Rønningen Folk High School in Oslo, and study Bible studies and Christian Youth Work at the University of Oslo.
Sources
- Høgne, Guro (1998): Ten Sings betydning for musikalsk og personlig utvikling: et casestudie av et Ten Sing-kor (en. The significance of Ten Sing for musical and personal development: A case study of a Ten Sing choir). Master Thesis, Oslo University.
- Ulstein, Jan Ove (red.): Ten Sing Norway International Inc.: perspektiv på ti års prosjektliv. (en. Ten Sing Norway International inc.: perspective on ten years project life). Report. Volda University College.
- Ten Sing Norway Homepage
- Description of the Ten Sing Norway Curriculum
External links
International sites
National sites
- Ten Sing in Belarus
- Ten Sing in Czech Republic
- Ten Sing in Denmark
- Ten Sing in England
- Ten Sing in Germany
- Ten Sing in Norway
- Ten Sing in Switzerland
- Ten Sing in Ukraine
- Ten Sing in Poland
Local Groups
Ten Sing groups in Lithuania
- Ten Sing Vilnius
Ten Sing groups in Belarus
Ten Sing groups in The Czech Republic
- Ten Sing Ostrava-South
- Ten Sing Ostrava-Center
- Ten Sing Krnov
- Ten Sing Praha
- Ten Sing Brno
- Ten Sing Černilov
- Ten Sing Ústí nad Labem
- Ten Sing Vrchlabí
- Ten Sing Tyjátr
- Ten Sing Opava
- Ten Sing Želiv
- Ten Sing Morava
- Ten Sing Mělník
- Ten Sing Hradec Králové
- Ten Sing Fosil
- Ten Sing Pre-Fosil
Ten Sing groups in Denmark
- Ten Sing Tune
- Ten Sing K
- Ten Sing Online
- Ten Sing Næstved
- Ten Sing Slagelse
- Ten Sing Hasle
- Ten Sing Midtjylland
- Ten Sing 7
- Ten Sing Möin
Ten Sing groups in the Faroe Islands
- Sound of Glory TenSing
Ten SIng groups in England
- Kingswood Ten Sing
- West Bromwich Ten Sing
- Cambridge Ten Sing
Ten Sing groups in Estonia
- Legend Ten Sing in Tallinn
- Villu Ten Sing in Viljandi
Ten Sing groups in Germany
- TEN SING Münster
- Ten Sing Stuttgart-Möhringen
- Ten Sing Bremen
- Ten Sing Emmental
- Ten SIng Kürten
- Ten Sing Oberalster (Hamburg)
- Ten Sing Bochum
- Ten Sing Knetterheide
- Ten Sing Zwickau
- TEN SING Zeuthen
- Ten Sing Ulm
- Ten Sing Vlotho
- Ten Sing Bad Oeynhausen
More are listed at the German Ten Sing-Homepage.
Ten Sing groups in Norway
- Bodø Ten Sing
- Refleks Ten Sing, Voss
- Skøyen Ten Sing
- Lightning Hoeggen Ten Sing
- Lier Ten Sing
- Mosing (Mo i Rana Ten Sing
- NETS (Nedre Eiker Ten Sing)
- Amasing Ten Sing Porsgrunn
- Rising Ris Ten Sing
- Impuls Grorud Ten Sing
- Candeo Gospel
- Strindheim Ten Sing
- Ten Sing Bømlo
- Førde Ten Sing Deciding
- Ytrebygda Ten Sing
- Bønes Ten Sing
- Sanctus Ten Sing
- Alta Ten Sing
- Florø Ten Sing
- Stryn Ten Sing
- Gjøvik Ten Sing
- Hamar Ten Sing
- Lillehammer Ten Sing
- Good News Ten Sing
- Asker Ten Sing
- Hoeggen Ten Sing
- Ørsta - Volda Ten Sing
- Ulstein Ten Sing
- Grimstad Ten Sing
- Ås Ten Sing
You can find a complete list of Norwegian Ten Sing groups at YMCA-YWCA Norway's homepage.
Ten Sing groups in Switzerland
- Aare Ten Sing
- Ten Sing Baar
- Ten Sing Basel
- Ten Sing Ebnat-Kappel
- Leue Ten Sing
- Ten Sing Pfäffikersee
- Ten Sing Reinach
- Ten Sing Seebach
- Ten Sing Stäfa
- Ten Sing Steffisburg
- Ten Sing Uetikon
- Ten Sing Uster
- Ten Sing Uznach
- Albis Ten Sing
- Ten Sing Rüti-Bubikon
- Ten Sing St. Gallen