Some children are fortunate and actively develop their talents, while others lack the opportunities or resources to showcase their gifts. That’s why we decided once again to give all children a chance to demonstrate their talents to all of Slovakia.
We organized the second edition of what we can now call the largest online multi-genre talent competition for children in Slovakia, which reached nearly a million viewers across the country.
This competition influenced children’s thinking and the atmosphere in families during the pandemic.
We couldn’t stand by and watch how the pandemic affected even the youngest. They couldn’t go to school, and all their extracurricular activities were canceled. Such a situation can have consequences for their mental and physical health. We decided to disrupt this state through the talent competition.
And we largely succeeded. The children were active, living the competition for weeks, showcasing enormous talent, whether in music and singing, dance, or free categories. The contestants are becoming increasingly creative and skilled. They did everything to impress the star jury and hundreds of thousands of people online.
We discovered dozens of new young talents.
Although the pandemic negatively impacted many, it’s important to surround ourselves with positive thoughts and experiences. Just like last year, this year’s young stars were selected by hundreds of thousands of viewers, as well as well-known faces from Slovak show business—Superstar winner Barbora Piešová, dancer Nika Lehocká, and actor Oliver Oswald, known from the series “Oteckovia.”
“In today’s world, it’s very important for people to know about talents. We live in the 21st century where competition is fierce, and few can break through. Thanks to this competition, people can learn about talented children in a natural way. I’ll be rooting for them all,” says Oliver Oswald.
Supporting the development of young talents.
The judges wholeheartedly recommend talent competitions for children because they motivate kids to work on themselves.
“I believe that children who want to try something bigger in life should work on themselves in this way, which the ‘Children Have Talent’ competition offers. Such competitions help children prepare for artistic life. Often, even those who don’t win gain motivation to work harder. So, the important thing isn’t to win, but to participate,” says Barbora Piešová.
In the “Children Have Talent” competition, 380 talented children from over 100 towns and villages in Slovakia took part. Their videos were seen by nearly 1.5 million users. The children displayed immense talent, and the bar for talent in Slovakia is set high.
“You never know what life will bring—what this competition might bring as well. After a long hiatus from competitions, ‘Children Have Talent’ is a suitable opportunity to participate. Everyone can be even more creative because it’s online—ideas for videos, space, costumes, music, and so on. And perhaps there’s not as much stress as performing live in front of a jury,” says dancer Nika Lehocká.
Winners of “Children Have Talent” 2021
What do the parents of the winners say about the competition?
The mission of the non-profit organization PIEROTT is to actively support the development of children’s talents in Slovakia. That’s why we presented the winners with a beautiful commemorative plaque to remind them of their moments in the competition. We also added a financial reward to help further their talents.
“Once again, we would like to sincerely thank you for organizing such a competition for children. It’s truly an excellent opportunity for kids to present their talent and showcase themselves to all of Slovakia. That’s why we are very glad to have participated in the ‘Children Have Talent’ project. It’s an amazing support for developing children’s talents. The kids are even more motivated to work on themselves and show their best. When I told Mirko about this competition, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. He immediately said, ‘Mom, let’s do it.’ And that’s what we did; we had the video ready the same day and just waited for Mirko to see it on Facebook—’Children Have Talent!’ As soon as he saw it there, it made him happy to know he was really involved in a big competition, and every day he waited to see if anyone would vote for him. In the end, he was very pleasantly surprised and, of course, happy that he got the most votes in his category, DANCE. I saw his eyes light up when the judge Nika Lehocká announced his name; I must say that this was the most special moment for him. And then we had to record a thank-you video. It was a big day for Mirko because a professional cameraman took care of him, so he truly felt like a winner in a grand competition. He enjoyed all the attention that was solely on him. Thank you once again.”
Ms. Eštoková, Mirko’s mom
“In Slovakia, we have quality dance schools with talented trainers. These schools have collaborations with various dancers and trainers who help children advance through workshops. However, the pandemic halted this. Online dance lessons were not as attractive to children as in-person training, and we had to start finding motivation to dance even during these times. Online competitions significantly helped us. Small successes helped my daughter regain her desire to improve. Having a talented child at home is also financially demanding. Training, workshops, camps, competitions, and costumes require considerable financial resources, and parents bear these costs alone. Thanks to winning the ‘Children Have Talent’ competition, we decided to have my daughter a new costume made. It’s already in the works. Thank you for this opportunity; we hope that future editions will be just as strong and successful.”
Ms. Gregušová, Lilianka’s mom
“We believe that developing talent in children is very important, as it helps them build a closer relationship with musical instruments. The ‘Children Have Talent’ project can encourage and motivate children in their development, as the right motivation can change almost anyone’s attitude and outlook. The attitude of parents and the right atmosphere for the contestant is also very important. We had a very pleasant and positively charged atmosphere for our contestant. For our son, this experience was very beneficial, exceptional, and useful because it propelled us forward. Of course, we were very happy to hear about the victory, but that’s certainly not the most important thing. What’s important are the experiences gained through the ‘Children Have Talent’ project. The organizers’ approach was very pleasant and kind from the start, which surely brings a positive attitude and mindset not only for the children but also for the parents. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.”
Mr. Botoš, Jožko’s father
“There are very few competitions where children can showcase their talents. In the past, when I was a child, it was different. Children had the opportunity to present their singing talents in the children’s competition HVIEZDIČKA, and there were more competitions for children than there are now. I am immensely grateful for your project ‘Children Have Talent,’ where only CHILDREN could truly present themselves and showcase their talents in various categories. Our satisfaction is enormous. When I learned about this competition, I didn’t hesitate for a second and enrolled Vanesska right away. Her desire to become, as she says, a ‘child singer’ is incredible. I hear it every day. I’ve never spent so much time on the phone as I have this month during the voting. Asking people for votes and requesting shares was quite an adrenaline rush, let me tell you. Our entire family, friends, acquaintances, and passersby lived it. The desire of my child, Vanesska, to win is indescribable. That’s when I decided I would do the impossible for her. We have supported her singing since she was little. Really, as soon as she opened her eyes in the morning, she would be singing within five minutes of waking up, and it’s still the same. When there were only 5 minutes left before the voting ended, Vanesska shot up in bed at 23:55, exclaiming, ‘Did I win?’ We experienced it intensely. Of course, we had to have some celebratory ‘child champagne.’ The joy of winning was immense, and the happiness and excitement in Vanesska’s eyes warmed my heart. The thing she looked forward to the most was the plaque. Every day she would ask if the courier had called, and when he finally arrived, she ran to pick up the package herself. Once again, a big thank you for this project, where children can showcase their skills and talents. Thank you for your support. I applaud you and thank you for everything.”
Ms. Mikulová, Vanesska’s mom
“I am very glad that there is a project like the ‘Children Have Talent’ competition in Slovakia that supports young talents. It’s amazing that children can showcase something they are passionate about and are exceptional in, and such positive motivation encourages them even more to do what they love. It’s also positive that children from small towns or villages, where such opportunities are scarce, can gain visibility. I am very grateful to Sára’s voice teacher, who suggested that I enroll my daughter in this competition. I admit I signed her up without her knowledge because she is currently at an age where she might reject the idea. But when she found out that she was selected and recognized by the jury, and when the beautiful winning plaque and wonderful prizes arrived, she was thrilled. I wish the ‘Children Have Talent’ project many great talents in the coming years.”
Ms. Suchovská, Sára’s mom
“I am immensely grateful for the project ‘Kids Have Talent.’ I am thankful that my daughter was able to apply and participate in this project. She could showcase her talent, just like the other kids. My daughter was excited and happy, and seeing her joy… it’s hard to put into words. Thank you once again for supporting young talents.”
Mrs. Bérešová – mother of Sophia
“As a mother and a coach at the same time, I greatly appreciate the organization of this competition. It’s particularly significant in this time, which is very challenging for children to present themselves, as they have few opportunities to enjoy the magic of competition in real contests or races. This is very important because when children work on themselves, strive to improve and grow… experiencing the feeling of victory as well as defeat is essential for their development. The joy was even greater when we watched the video of our category mentor together – ‘open discipline.’ ‘Dog handling,’ canine training, or working with dogs is not a very common category among children, and few realize how much love and hard work it requires. We both had tears of happiness and joy, and for a mother during this time, it felt like winning my own world championship 🙂 when a child who continuously works on themselves receives such beautiful support in a competition and a wonderful award. And then filming the promo video? That was exactly the beautiful and important part… my daughter worked hard, whether it was winter or not, she wanted to show that she is continuing to progress. I am happy that this competition exists, especially as a mother because my daughter was given the feeling of competition and motivation to work even harder when there aren’t many real opportunities. And from the perspective of a coach, perhaps Julianka’s video work and the vision that children also have support in this sport will encourage more kids to see their dogs as great partners in sports. And a beautiful ending… the final photoshoot, Julianka enjoyed every moment in the studio, feeling special and happy, which is the amazing part because this sport gives her exactly that feeling. I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this beautiful event, from the idea to execution, the work of mentors, sponsors, you are doing beautiful work for the most precious thing we have: our children.”
Mrs. Zábavská – mother of Julianka
