Looking to the Future by Lucy Glover

I’m a 3rd year student at Laban currently figuring out what kind of mark I want to make on dance in Britain when I’m unleashed into the professional world next June. With the vast choices to make and not having one particular passion, the one thing I do know for sure is that I never felt more alive than when I danced with Bawren Tavaziva two summers ago. My love for the great continent Africa has been a part of me since I was young. It began with a love for the Wildlife and has merged with my love for dance in recent years. I was given the opportunity, which I reluctantly agreed to, to take part in a youth project at the Wycombe Swan in August 2007 to create a piece with Bawren Tavaziva and twenty other young dancers aged 13-19. Being 19 at the time I had reservations about the work being challenging enough. The experience turned out to be a major turning point for me. I was introduced to a technique that I was passionate about and discovered that I had not yet reached my boundaries as a performer -not even close. I also realised that my knowledge for the technique and the history of Africa is lacking. I became passionate about rectifying this and my interest was ignited by the experience. Since then, I have done my best to find out more about African Contemporary dance in Britain. This is how I came across ADAD.

For two weeks in July I did a placement with ADAD, working for Jeanette Bain. This experience was fundamental to inspiring me further to work in this sector. I am currently researching to write my dissertation about the implementation of African contemporary dance in Britain. My time with ADAD opened my eyes to the struggles this sector still encounters. Even in a city which claims to be culturally diverse, and proud of it. I found how easy it could be to feel hopeless in the vastness of the situation. However, I also found how much support there is within it; many people have their heads and hearts in the right place for the future of African Dance. So, I am excited about the future of African dance in Britain; it can only be onwards and upwards from here. From my experience at ADAD I feel that there is increasing support especially from voices which can be heard. I feel hopeful and not hopeless for the future.

I feel strongly about African culture and with an equal passion for dance I wish to be a part of the future of African Dance in Britain as a performer and being active in making a change to its significance in the arts. I will endeavour to increase my knowledge and understanding through attending performances, going to classes, and being involved wherever I can be in African Dance. My main priority is the research for my dissertation and I hope this will help me take steps towards improving the status of this technique in the UK, as I feel it is still under-appreciated and misunderstood by many. This is only through lack of knowledge and preconceptions of attitudes on all sides. An open mind towards African dance, putting all preconceptions in the past, is all that is required. I hope through the research and writing of my dissertation this information can reach more people to help increase support and knowledge for this sector of the arts.

I look forward to the challenges and the successes, with only optimism for the future.