TEORIA

Gianluca, a manager at Leben Animation, welcomes participants to the introductory chapter of their training course. This session will cover three fundamental points: the various roles in animation, regulations, and the daily and evening program within a tourist complex. He stresses that while theory might seem tedious, it is crucial. The goal is to provide a solid foundation to help participants choose the role that best suits their aptitudes. Attendees should take notes carefully, as a multiple-choice questionnaire will follow, impacting their final course evaluation.

The Sport & Contact Animator specialized in one or more sports, is responsible for involving guests in various activities. This animator is often the energetic, fun-loving member of the team, tasked with encouraging participation in events like aqua gym sessions. It's crucial for them to organize sports activities in a cheerful and engaging manner, minimizing competition. They also engage in direct contact with guests around the resort, becoming a familiar face. Tournaments can be physical, like ping-pong or beach volleyball, or sedentary, such as card games. The animator should guide these activities with humor and ensure fair play. They must know the rules for all tournaments and be prepared to participate if needed, always maintaining a playful attitude. This role is fundamental for creating a lively atmosphere and requires a passion for sports.

The Fitness & Dance Animator leads daytime activities such as aquagym, group dances, Zumba, GAG (legs, abs, glutes), Caribbean dances like bachata and merengue, yoga, and Pilates. This is a highly technical role, requiring precision in instruction to avoid injuries, especially when dealing with older guests. Fitness animators are physically demanding, always at the forefront of activities, and create a unifying atmosphere. While not requiring professional-level dance skills, a good sense of rhythm is essential. For more specialized activities like muscle stretching, extra caution and precision are necessary to ensure guest safety. This role offers unique opportunities to connect with guests through movement and shared energy.

The Mini Club Animator plays a delicate and extremely important role, providing entertainment for children and relief for parents. This involves a wide range of creative and recreational activities such as face painting, balloon art, creative drawing, treasure hunts, and costume parades. Imagination and patience are key. Happy children lead to happy families, which in turn results in positive reviews and a more pleasant working environment for all animators. This role carries significant responsibility, as animators are entrusted with the care and safety of large groups of children. While supported by assistant animators, vigilance is essential to ensure children remain engaged and safe. Specific training on Mini Club activities will be provided by dedicated Life Animation managers.

Beyond the core animation roles, specialized positions require specific certifications or extensive experience. The 'Choreographer' creates dance routines for shows, often requiring a professional dance background. The 'Costume Designer' designs and produces stage costumes, typically working behind the scenes and requiring artistic skill. The 'Set Designer' creates the scenery for theatrical productions, ranging from simple props in smaller resorts to elaborate sets for large-scale musicals. Lastly, the 'DJ/Technician' manages all audio systems, microphones, and sound equipment, setting the pace for activities and shows. They must be highly skilled in troubleshooting technical issues quickly to avoid disruptions. These roles are essential for the quality of entertainment, often command higher remuneration, and require specialized expertise.

Animation is a job with precise rules. Maintaining a professional image is paramount. Animators are always in the spotlight, so they must be well-groomed, clean, and tidy, regardless of long working hours. The uniform signifies the company they represent. It must always be worn neatly and with respect, as it identifies them as professionals and part of the Live Animation team. Animators receive several uniforms, which must be kept clean and in good condition. The animation manager will provide a schedule indicating which color uniform to wear each day, emphasizing the importance of organization and adherence to guidelines. Failure to comply can lead to serious consequences.

Respect is fundamental to a harmonious work environment. This includes respecting colleagues’ personal space and rest time, especially in shared accommodations. Borrowing personal items without permission, like socks, is unacceptable. Additionally, animators must handle agency-provided equipment, such as speakers, microphones, and sports gear, with care. Intentional damage will result in the animator being held responsible for replacement costs. Crucially, animators must respect the professional hierarchy, from the hotel director to the chief animator. Capos offer guidance based on their experience; receiving criticism should be seen as an opportunity for improvement rather than a personal offense. Showing respect to hotel management is vital, as they are the ultimate employers of the animation team.

Always greet guests and staff with a smile and enthusiasm, even on difficult days. This not only fulfills a professional duty but also fosters positive relationships with hotel personnel, such as chefs and bartenders, which can be advantageous. When interacting with guests, always offer them precedence in services like bars or restaurants. Use this time to engage them, perhaps with jokes or games, turning waiting periods into entertainment. Animators refer to hotel clients as 'guests' to emphasize their role in making visitors feel welcome and part of the animation world. Maintaining a cheerful demeanor is essential, as animators are paid to entertain and uplift.

Several strict prohibitions apply to animators to maintain professionalism. Smoking in public is forbidden; if an animator needs to smoke, it must be done discreetly in isolated areas and followed by a mint or gum to avoid residual smells, especially when interacting with children. Mobile phone use during working hours is strictly prohibited, with phones to be left in rooms. The only exception is for the mini club manager, who may keep a phone for emergencies involving children. Additionally, animators must avoid wearing rolled-up sleeves ('risvoltini') or sunglasses, as these can detract from a professional image and inhibit direct eye contact with guests. Discussing sensitive topics such as politics, football, or religion with guests is also forbidden, as these can easily lead to disagreements and damage the guest relationship.

Animators must always project a positive attitude, avoiding any behavior that suggests loneliness, boredom, or excessive fatigue. Their role is to entertain and energize guests; they cannot be the ones needing encouragement. It is crucial to be proactive, enthusiastic, and engaged, as this is part of their job. Additionally, any form of drug use is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate dismissal and legal action. Excessive alcohol consumption is also forbidden; while a single beer after work with guests is acceptable, anything more than two drinks is considered abuse and will lead to termination. These rules are vital for maintaining professionalism and a healthy work environment.

Punctuality is essential: animators should arrive at their activity areas ten minutes early and attend all meetings, especially daily briefings, on time. Lateness can result in penalties. It's also crucial to avoid speaking negatively about colleagues or the resort. Such behavior can create a toxic environment within the team and harm the resort’s reputation. Animators must support each other, acting as a unified team to overcome challenges. Instead of blaming individuals, collective problem-solving is encouraged. This collective support system is vital for maintaining a strong and effective team throughout the season.

Animators must be open to change and new experiences, as this job fosters significant personal and professional growth. They will encounter new living conditions, adapt to shared rooms, and perform on stage, pushing them out of their comfort zones. This process of adaptation builds resilience and broadens perspectives, enabling them to discover new aspects of life. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about seeing a familiar crack in a wall only after changing his perspective, illustrating how small shifts can reveal new insights. This job teaches individuals to embrace challenges, making them more adaptable and capable in life.

Animators should bring smiles, a carefree attitude (hakuna matata), and a healthy dose of self-centeredness, as being in the spotlight is crucial for this role. Initiative, within limits, is encouraged, prompting animators to propose new ideas to their superiors. Humility is vital, acknowledging that there's always more to learn. A desire to work and learn, filling one’s 'empty suitcase' with memories and emotions, is also important. Finally, a touch of 'healthy madness' is necessary for a job that involves travel, public performance, and constant interaction. Conversely, shyness, laziness, feelings of inadequacy, sadness, melancholy, anger, and prejudice should be left at home. This job can help shy individuals overcome their inhibitions and foster personal growth by encouraging them to try new things.

Accommodation and meals are provided free of charge, so animators should be prepared to adapt to shared rooms and basic meal options provided by the hotel kitchen. Complaining about these amenities is not acceptable. While animators generally enjoy good food, it won't be luxurious. Guests might occasionally invite animators for meals, which can be accepted as a way to build rapport. Animators are encouraged to be 'smart' and befriend bar staff and guests, as this often leads to free drinks or special discounts. Any issues with guests or hotel staff must be reported immediately to the manager, who will handle the situation professionally, ensuring the animator's protection without direct confrontation.

The uniform is an animator's 'second skin,' representing their identity and responsibility to create magical and memorable vacations for guests. Animators are 'dream providers,' tasked with making guests forget their problems and enjoy their holiday to the fullest. When guests leave happy, especially children, it signifies a job well done. This often leads to heartfelt goodbyes and lasting friendships, allowing animators to build a network of contacts worldwide. This job occurs within a 'bubble' or 'dome,' where everything that happens in the resort stays within the resort, creating a unique and almost surreal world. It's an experience that fosters immense personal growth, even for those who might initially doubt their suitability for the role. The speaker encourages everyone to embrace this transformative adventure.

The daily program typically starts at 9:30 AM with muscle awakening (stretching) led by the fitness animator. At 10:00 AM, there's a radio program with dedications, news, and daily horoscopes, run by the chief animator and DJ. Pool or beach games, involving the sport and contact animator, follow at 11:00 AM. Aquagym, the highlight of the morning, takes place at 12:00 PM, an energetic session with music, shouting, and fun. At 12:30 PM, a game aperitif is held, combining games with drinks. The afternoon includes coffee games at 3:30 PM, followed by various tournaments. Depending on the size of the resort, there might be multiple animators managing different types of tournaments simultaneously. The fitness and dance animator also leads fitness, Zumba, or GAG classes at 6:00 PM, sometimes followed by group dance lessons. At 6:30 PM, the animation team teaches the resort's signature dance, getting all guests involved. The evening program starts at 9:30 PM with a baby dance for children, followed by the main show at 10:00 PM, which might be a cabaret, musical, game night, or variety show. After the show, from 11:00 PM to midnight, there's group dancing or an open disco until the music stops, marking the end of the animators' working day.

A typical weekly evening program includes a Welcome Show on Saturday, where animators introduce themselves through artistic performances. Monday features a Cabaret, consisting of skits and jokes designed to make guests laugh. The main musical is usually on Friday, requiring extensive rehearsals and technical coordination. These musicals, like 'The Lion King' or 'Aladdin,' are challenging but immensely rewarding, often ending with standing ovations. Sunday is 'Game Night,' fostering interaction among guests through group games. Wednesday often presents a 'Variety Show,' which can range from magic shows to specialized performances like the 'Black Light' show, using UV lights and fluorescent costumes. Thursday is dedicated to the 'Baby Show' and 'Guest Night,' a crucial event where children perform, creating unforgettable memories for their families. Most programs are bi-weekly to offer variety to guests staying longer. The highlight of the season is 'Ferragosto' (August 15th), a week of intense activity culminating in special events like resort-wide Olympics and a spectacular show. This week represents the peak of the animators' efforts, showcasing their ability to organize grand events and provide high-quality entertainment. After Ferragosto, the pace might slightly calm down, but the quality of entertainment remains high. Finally, the speaker talks about a certificate that will be given at the end of the course, which is recognized by important authorities.