Crede și se va dansa | Alex Gherman | TEDxSatuMare

DJ Alex and His Background

• Alex, also known as DJ Alex, is a well-known DJ in Romania, often recognized for wearing shorts over pants, and has performed at various festivals and events across the country (10s).
• As a child, Alex enjoyed costumes and was a breakdancer; his parents were traditional folk dancers, and he founded several projects to promote electronic music in Târgu Mureș (29s).
• Alex is from Târgu Mureș but lives in Cluj; at 11 years old, his non-religious mother turned to the church due to a health issue, and he witnessed 17 years of spiritual recovery processes (41s).
• Alex became curious about the spiritual processes and began to learn more, especially with age; he is eager to participate in research on the topic (1m3s).

DJ Alex's Career and Initiatives

• As a DJ, Alex has performed in many countries, including outside the European Union, and has gained notoriety; however, he did not want to make money solely from public events (1m12s).
• Instead, Alex used his earnings to organize the first free DJ school in 2019, with 700 registered participants and 40 selected students, with the help of sponsors from Cluj (1m40s).
• The project led Alex to discover that the problem was not about teaching the art of DJing but about something else; however, the pandemic interrupted his plans (2m6s).
• During the pandemic, Alex had time to read and discovered that the brain's movement is triggered when music starts, which can be seen as a miracle for people without access to science and medicine (2m36s).
• Alex's personal experience with a health issue at 11 years old, which was resolved after attending church, also seemed like a miracle, sparking his curiosity about spiritual processes (3m4s).

Neuroscience and Emotional Impact of Music

• There are 22,000 employees who have trust in each other (3m31s).
• Trauma can be passed down from great-grandparents to grandparents to parents to children, and this is supported by studies (3m48s).
• Today's discussion will not be about the "great red wall," but rather about neuroscience, with the help of George Giuglea, a psychotherapist (4m7s).
• What parents say to their children can be like prophecies that fulfill themselves, and children often copy and paste behaviors, beliefs, and convictions from their parents (4m19s).
• According to a scientifically demonstrated theory, everything that happens to parents or caregivers is copied by children, whether they want to or not (4m33s).
• The discussion will touch on emotions, using Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions, which includes emotions like joy, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, fear, and trust (4m52s).
• The primary circle of emotions will be discussed, with a focus on joy, as the other emotions will be experienced at the elections (4m58s).
• The brain has 1000 trillion synapses, which are the zones between neurons, and neurotransmitters communicate between them, enabling the brain to make decisions (5m39s).
• Positive emotions are stimulated by neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which helps with motivation, testosterone, which stimulates appetite, serotonin, which helps with self-confidence, and oxytocin, which is associated with love in the family (6m0s).
• Other neurotransmitters include endorphins, which are associated with pleasure and gratitude, and are released when people feel appreciated (6m34s).
• Cocaine is one of the most dangerous stimulants, but other substances like caffeine, testosteron, and serotonin can also be used for motivation, with the latter being found in ecstasy and Prozac (6m59s).
• Oxitocin is a powerful substance that can be found in the highest doses during childbirth, with no drug able to match its potency, and it is also referenced in a comedy film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (7m21s).
• Other substances like cannabis, heroin, and opioids can also have a significant impact on the brain, with a chart by Zac Follows explaining the effects in more detail (8m1s).

Social Relationships, Addiction, and Natural Dopamine Sources

• In Romania, a major problem is the use of păcănele (slot machines), which can release dopamine, serotonin, and other substances, leading to addiction and the need for special programs to help people (8m18s).
• Research has shown that people seek social relationships through social media, but this can lead to addiction, as the brain craves dopamine and serotonin, which can be obtained naturally through meditation, self-work, and other methods (8m40s).
• Interacting with others, such as friends and family, can provide a natural source of dopamine and serotonin, making it possible to obtain these substances without relying on external sources (9m43s).
• Engaging in activities with others, such as spending time with family and friends, can help to release dopamine and serotonin naturally, making it a healthier alternative to substance use (9m47s).
• There is a space between people that needs to be filled, just like the space between neurons where neurotransmitters exist, and this can be achieved through communication, but there is a conflict between the brain's need for human relationships and the inability to establish them (10m23s).
• The brain requires human relationships and social connections to understand and communicate with family, but when this relationship is broken, a person becomes an object and not a human being, leading to dysfunctional relationships (10m47s).

Open Academy Project and Its Success

• Martin Buber said, "I do not exist if you do not exist," emphasizing the importance of mutual relationships and communication (10m43s).
• To address this issue, a project called Open Academy was initiated, which aims to provide free psychotherapy to electronic music artists and eventually expand to other artists (11m37s).
• The project has achieved significant success, including over 100 workshops, collaborations, and partnerships, as well as four camps, an album release, and a DJ course (11m50s).
• The project has also received funding and has been recognized in top three cultural projects in Timișoara and Târgu Mureș (12m7s).
• The project has a physical location in Cluj, thanks to Rock Academy, where activities such as DJ courses and emotional and professional development workshops are held (12m46s).
• A successful event, "Saă Disco," was organized at Medis Prof Cancer Center, which included a study before and after the event, and the results were presented (13m7s).
• The project's goal is to continue growing and providing support to artists in need of psychotherapy (11m43s).

The Group's Values, Activities, and Community

• In Amsterdam, people were impressed by a Romanian group's achievement, asking them to explain how they managed to accomplish it, and the group was happy to share their approach with others (13m10s).
• The group is involved in personal development, emotional development, professional development, music production, entrepreneurship, DJing, marketing, management, and more (13m29s).
• Their set of values is based on the acronym CERC, which stands for creativity, empathy, responsibility, and compassion (13m40s).
• The group uses Discord and WhatsApp for communication, with over 400 people on Discord and over 200 members in WhatsApp groups, as well as an association with over 200 registered members (13m52s).
• The group organizes workshops, such as one in nature with a DJ setup, where people can learn and communicate (14m8s).

Inspiring Stories of Group Members

• One of the group's members, DJ Roby from Sfântul Gheorghe, is a true superhero who was born with a problem in a certain area of his brain that affects his walking, vision, and balance due to Romania's inefficient healthcare system (14m22s).
• Despite his disability, DJ Roby has a superpower, and when he attended a workshop, he was able to walk and DJ, which was a miraculous moment (14m51s).
• Another member, Andi Moisescu, shared that he learned new things about himself during a workshop, and the group is open to helping others discover new things about themselves (15m34s).
• The group received a request from a man named Aciu, who wanted his son with autism to attend a workshop, and despite initial concerns, the group decided to be supportive and welcoming (16m2s).
• The boy with autism, Robert, has a superpower, being able to instantly recognize and match musical notes, which is a unique ability that cannot be fully explained by science (16m25s).

A Memorable Musical Experience

• The most impressive thing experienced in 20 years of music was the craziest party ever attended in life (16m42s).
• The favorite music genres are house and ST, and a special set of Dr. was prepared for the evening (16m52s).
• Three to four songs were played simultaneously, which normally takes two years to prepare, but only three days were spent preparing for this performance (17m42s).
• A message was conveyed to Mike, expressing gratitude for being part of people's lives and for setting an example (18m32s).
• Marius was also thanked for creating a unique event, and good health was wished upon him (18m41s).

Reflections on the Journey and Future Aspirations

• The journey began with a video during the pandemic, and after four years, the opportunity was finally taken to showcase the accomplishments (19m6s).
• It is challenging to be recognized in Romania when it comes to electronic music, as it is a niche genre, making it difficult to talk about and be heard (19m20s).
• The importance of having electronic music as part of the art scene was demonstrated, and hopes were expressed to continue next year with a camp in a new location (19m30s).
• The largest sponsor of the association is from Satu Mare, and gratitude was expressed for being part of the event (19m40s).
• The audience was invited to support the cause by scanning a QR code, and the speaker introduced himself as Alex, a 36-year-old with a youthful spirit (19m49s).