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Overloading children with tutoring and activities: The dangerous trap parents fall into. Oana Zapca: "We often don’t even know why we’re doing it!"
Despite Radu Manole bringing glory to the country with his remarkable performances, winning NINE!!! WORLD TITLES and competing against over 40 countries, he and his peers are forced to deal with neglect from the authorities and major financial difficulties.
His family has been his main financial support, while the system has offered him no help at all.
Furthermore, attempts to secure sponsorships have met with a wall of indifference, even for minor things such as national team shirts.
The situation outlined by Andreea and Cătălin Munteanu, instructors at iDance, Radu Manole's coaches, who have repeatedly tried to find funding solutions, highlights a broader problem of the system: the concentration of resources towards sports with high media exposure, to the detriment of less popular ones.
“We have been trying for several years to find a solution and we have not succeeded. Unfortunately, all sponsorships go towards the more media-covered sports.
Now I laugh, but back then I was shocked when I called a public institution and just wanted to ask what I could do to get some sponsorships, maybe some shirts with the Romanian emblem, so we wouldn’t have to pay for them ourselves. We were going with the bachata group, we were 15 dancers. I asked what I could do to talk to someone send an email or where I call. And I was asked: but what do we do for them? It was a shock! I did not expect that response, I don’t know why they reacted that way and asked me that. And then I realized that it is very difficult to find sponsors.
Radu, with nine world championship titles, can be ranked as any other world champion from any other sport. I mean, there is no championship or world championship lower than another world championship. It is a world championship! He has competed against all the countries from Latin America and Europe, over 40 countries! He can be compared with David Popovici, with Nadia Comăneci.
Even so, we have not managed, nor has he managed to obtain sponsorship”, said Cătălin Munteanu.
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A talent program organized by a company offered a modest but appreciated amount of 1,000 euros to support talented youth. Although this sum does not cover even half of the costs needed for travel to the United States or Mexico, where the international competitions take place, Radu Manole received this money with great gratitude and joy, feeling somehow supported.
Cătălin Munteanu notes, however, that beyond this isolated contribution, consistent support is missing.
"Last year there was a talent program from a company that offered a certain amount of money, not the smallest nor the largest, a helpful sum that was appreciated. It was 1,000 euros, although his travel cost is at least 2,000 euros to the United States or Mexico where these competitions are held.
But, despite this, he appreciated it very much, like any child and any person who feels that they are being helped and supported by someone.
Otherwise, we didn't succeed and only understood that we should have a friend who has a friend who owns a company and wants to help us. Only through private companies did we manage at one point to raise 3,000 euros for 15 people. We tried to do everything we could, but we didn't succeed. Unfortunately, this sport is not very media-covered, it's quite underappreciated, and in fact, we have some very, very good dancers. The dance community is enormous!" Cătălin Munteanu added.
Andreea Munteanu speaks about the diversity of the members of the dance community, from cardiologists to agronomy specialists, who, although they do not have professional dance training, follow their passion and dream of taking their hobby to competitive levels.
"There are people who have day jobs and want to take their dancing to a higher level. We've had cardiologists who came and danced and entered amateur competitions, and people from agronomy, offices, and all sorts. People who had nothing to do with dance but wanted it for themselves, their dream", said Andreea Munteanu.
Cătălin Munteanu expressed his disappointment regarding the inability to obtain consistent support for athletes who represent Romania at an international level.
Although Radu Manole is an ambassador of Romanian talent worldwide, recognized and celebrated across the American continent and in Europe, the support from his home country is nil.
"Nevertheless, we have failed to find help, even responses, for those who truly represent our country successfully. Radu Manole is esteemed and highly regarded everywhere, in any country in Latin America or Europe. Romania is known because of Radu Manole at this moment: the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, etc. Absolutely all countries know where Romania is on the map right now, thanks to Radu Manole", Cătălin Munteanu further stated.
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The efforts of Radu Manole's family to support him in international competitions illustrate the financial challenges faced by many emerging talents in Romania, according to Cătălin Munteanu. "There are many young people who could follow Radu's example, but the high costs are discouraging."
"Their wings are clipped from the start because they know what the costs mean", adds Andreea Munteanu.
Cătălin Munteanu emphasizes the efforts made by the dance school to help dancers continue their training: "Currently, we have dancers who cannot travel to the United States and we would love to, we do everything possible! We reduce the fees we charge to support the school and make it easier for them to continue their training."
"That's all we can help. We can't do more", Andreea adds.
"Whether it's 100 lei or 1,000 lei, it doesn't matter. We try so they can raise the funds and maybe they will manage to go. We've done this, we still practice it, but it's not the best thing", concludes Cătălin Munteanu.
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