Ukachi Akalawu

Ukachi Akalawu graduated with BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre from Laban in 1994. She subsequently performed with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, Ritual Theatre Arts, Ariya Opera, Step Afrika, Stomp, Badejo Arts, and Movement Angol, as well as working in the commercial dance sector. She has taught dance extensively in the UK, Europe and Africa, and currently teaches regularly at Chisenhale Dance Space. From 2002 - 2004, she worked at the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) as Training and Membership administrator, and consequently went on to be the national coordinator for ITC's Fast Track Training Scheme for arts administrators and managers. She then set up ITC's The Next Level - a continuing professional development forum for Black and Asian arts managers and administrators. Currently, Ukachi is a freelance administrator for Badejo Arts, Ritual Theatre Arts, Collectives Artistes and Semekor Performing Arts. In 2005 she completed a Masters degree in Arts Management from the University of the Arts.

Ukachi will use her fellowship to expand her skills as a teacher and choreographer specifically using the Sabar dance idiom. Ukachi is planning to combine an in-depth study at a renowned African dance institution with field work in local villages where Sabar dance is practised and performed. Upon her return she plans to share her findings through teaching as well as through creating choreography with Semekor Performing Arts for the dancers to perform as part of the company repertoire.

Zela Gayle

Zela started dancing from a young age of five years old in Jamaica. She trained at The University College of Winchester in improvisation technique and West African Performance Practice. Since her graduation two years ago Zela worked with Sheron Wray's JazzXchange where her involvement included teaching African, Contemporary, Street and Jazz dances.

Zela will use the Trailblazer fellowship to learn the fundaments of Afro-Cuban dance by attending 'Danza Libre' teaching facility for three months in Cuba. By going to Cuba, Zela will not only be learning the dances but hopes to submerge herself in the entire culture and establish a link between the art form and Cuban society as a whole, thus enriching her dance experience. Zela hopes that, the experience she will gain from working with young people in Cuba will enhance her teaching in the U.K; assisting young people in raising their self-esteem as citizens contributing meaningfully to their respective communities. Zela's long term goal is to set up a youth dance company for young adults aged 15-21 years.

Paradigmz

Paradigmz is a Performance Artist of the truest kind. He is a dancer, actor, rapper, writer, poet, and choreographer. As a dancer he has performed nationally and internationally for Sakoba Dance Theatre, Jonzi D, Kompany Malakhi, Garth Fagan Dance (USA), and others. As an actor Paradigmz has performed in Isaac Juliens 'Paradise Omeros', toured 'Slamdunk', and acted in a variety of other short length shows. Paradigmz has now set up and runs his own dance theatre company called LDDT (London Diaspora Dance Theatre) that draws inspiration from the vast artistic experience of the London Diaspora married with modern dance and theatre aesthetics. Paradigmz will use his fellowship to raise the profile of his dance theatre company as well as train his dancers in the technical requirements that they need to successfully execute any choreography that will be explored. Paradigmz hopes to develop an infrastructure for inspired dancers who are given a platform to perform and choreograph dance work, drawing upon aesthetics and themes relevant to them as individuals and the London community from which they are a part of.

Denise Rowe

Denise's main interests lie in African and contemporary dance. She is currently performing as a solo dancer and singer in the international Afro-Celtic band, Baka Beyond, studying contemporary dance and setting up a new dance company, Tolo Ko Tolo. Denise's dancing career began in 1997 in Devon where she danced with Ayodele Scott's West African Dance group, Kabudu. In 2000 she co-founded Shekere, a community arts group that took African dance, song and rhythm into schools and colleges. Since 2002 Densie has been working with Daisi (Devon Arts in Schools Initiative) as a workshop leader and facilitator.

With the trailblazers fellowship Denise intends to consolidate her vocabulary and deepen her connection with African dance by training in Senegal. Using this experience and her contemporary dance training as a foundation Densie intends to develop Tolo Ko Tolo as a dance company creating works which fuse these various movement styles and speak directly from the heart to the heart.