AWA! at the Croydon Social Work Day Event

Awa
Apr 2
6 min read

Dear Mindful Subscribers,

On Tuesday 17th March (2026), The Ojas Centre was invited to give a talk and deliver an Afro Dance Fusion workshop on Social Work Day at Croydon Council; so here is a peek on what I have been delivering in the Croydon community with my team and my partners. But before I do that, I just wanted to thank again, Croydon Council for inviting me as a Guest Speaker; what a honour!

As some of you may know, I am a College Lecturer, Movement & Theatre Practitioner and Founder of The Ojas Centre www.theojascentre.com based in Croydon. I hold a BA & MA in Literature, Languages & Cultures, a PGCE in Bilingualism & SEN and a MA in World Cultures, Theatres & Performances. I created The Ojas Centre in 2020 after I graduated from my MA in Medical Anthropology which specialised in Mental Health and after working a few years on the Wards as a Movement Practitioner in Mental Health for the South London & Maudsley Hospital where I delivered Yoga, Pilates and Dance classes. For the past 4-5 years, I have also been working with Young Refugees with trauma and how can theatre support them with memory.

My socio-cultural background

I have been fascinated by the Arts & Culture for as long as I can remember. I was born in a trunk and grew up within a Performing Arts family. I trained in Ballet from 3, Jazz from 6 and Drama from 8 at the conservatoire, Paris; continued my training throughout my teens with MAFA, hold a BTEC in Performing Arts with Distinction from Holland Park School, I qualified as a Stagecoach Performing Arts teacher & IDTA Dance Teacher with Distinction.

After Lockdown, my Howard Primary School Dance class performed at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. With my Adults, I've delivered three seasons of my Afro Dance Fusion workshops at the Active Communities Hub in partnership with Croydon Voluntary Action, EMD UK and the National Lottery.

What is Afro Dance Fusion?

The Afro Dance Fusion Season 1 started in 2022 initially to commemorate Black History Month. Inspired by the film, ‘The Woman King’ embodying West African Women Warriors united to protect their family, their friends and their Community. Some of the Participants performed at a Refugees’ event while the Afro Dance Fusion Season 2 focused on Oriental Dance, ‘Freedom of Movement’ was the name of our piece and it was about honouring the strength of Mothers, Women and Girls in Afghanistan on ‘Jama Narenji’ by the Afghan singer, Elaha Soroor and the international band, Kefaya. Season 3 was about empowering women as well as any individuals who experienced abusive relationships. The Afro Dance Fusion project helped me to develop my work’s vision which consists of embodying meaningful themes, exploring ‘World Cultures’, appreciating issues of societies as well as embracing a fusion of Open Dance, West African, Brazilian and Oriental dance styles.

Why Afro Dance Fusion?

Afro Dance Fusion with AWA!, CVA, Croydon

Afro Dance Fusion is like a third space for people like me, "Third Culture Individuals" with parents of various cultural origins - and for people like me - growing up holding multicultural identities can be overwhelming; that is to say, to be what society expects us to be; we may feel fragmented and isolated not to be able to fully grasp a cultural identity that was not completely passed on from one generation to another e.g. from grandparents to parents... It can feel at times, we may experience "Cultural Homelessness", that we belong to nowhere even though, we "know" we belong to all of them.

Multicultural Identities & Belonging:

One may soon enough realise that by being exposed to our cultural identities in our various and diverse communities, we notice how able we are to adapt from one culture to another, we learn intercultural communication and sensitivity, we focus on the thing we have in common rather than our differences; we appreciate it is ok to self- define ourselves but where we feel more ourselves is where we are accepted as "Third Culture Individuals", a bit like the third generation raised in the UK, the youth culture is going to be different than the second generation than the first; we always renovate, upcycle what was already there but we make it a bit more trendy, available, harmonious or simply what resonates with our respective personal backgrounds and we blend it with our multicultural identities whether formed at home, at school or in our communities. Some might feel they belong nowhere and for a long time I felt that way, being Franco- British originally from Sierra Leone, Gambia, Guadeloupe and Brazil; what a unique combination! I knew I was culturally wealthy but I found it challenging to find myself at home until I created my own space, my "Third Space". With The Ojas Centre, I could finally through the Afro Dance Fusion and the World Theatres workshops embrace World Cultures and like many find myself culturally at home.

Why World Theatres?

World Theatres, School of Arts, Croydon College

My MA Research Practice Project in World Cultures & Theatres at Goldsmiths University in partnership with Croydon College and Talawa was for me transformative. "Consistency" showed to reveal a key factor for Young People to feel safe and comfortable in order to interact. From sitting nervously ready to flee or scared to speak in front of their class to performing with confidence in a theatrical production after 10 weeks of ESOL with Drama classes, that is huge as my participants did not speak any English!

The Campfire Memory exercise in the classroom led by AWA!

Supporting the Young Refugees with ‘Memory’ was a serious challenge as it impeded their concentration; so I created "memory exercises", implemented and embodied ‘Social Skills’ to help them create and remember the order of stories, as well as to create a sense of ‘Collective Bonding’ (Bessel, 2014).

The 20 Young People built new relationships, new memories, new social skills; decoded, embodied and immersed themselves fully in the theatre space, the best place to safely explore, reconnect and restore semi- independently the Universal Language or what is also known as FEELINGS! The Western African story, Sundiata Keita, resonated with my students as this talks about the loss of Sundiata’s father, losing his home, going on exile but with the solidarity of the community, he was able to get to the throne and restore social justice.

1.3.b Case Study on Intolerance & Adaptation: Hamza

Hamza was 18 years old and came from Guinea Bissau. He lived with his family, his sister and her husband in Croydon. One of his main languages was Portuguese. He was close to another classmate from the Republic of Guinea. Hamza often arrived late to class but he was a pleasant and very polite student. He appeared slightly overweight and seemed to have slight diction challenges, indeed, he sometimes startled but I don’t think that was the reason some students picked on him. Students noticed that he would take longer to answer questions than the rest to me, he could take the time he needed but his classmates were extremely intolerant. Some Afghan students who did not know how to read probably thought Hamza could be the laughing stock; however Hamza could read very well and some students defended him against the ‘bullies’.

One day, the student who played King Konate was not able to be there for the first performance (he had an appointment with ‘Home Office’), so another student offered to be the understudy, but students reported that he told them that he would be acting Fanta’s husband and he seemed self- conscious about that, so he disappeared after break, he did a no show to our first performance; so I explained the situation to our audience who was invited to our Sundiata Keita's informal presentation, our West African storytelling.

I asked my ESOL students if there was anyone who wanted to play King Konate but I straight away directed my request to Hamza, who in the blink of an eye said: “Yes, Teacher, no problem!” He immediately stood up and positioned himself onstage. He knew most of the stage directions, it was as if he had been the understudy all this time!

ESOL with Drama: classwork and stage decoration

Hamza saved the show! Just like the tale, Sundiata Keita: who started being the laughing stock to becoming the Hero of the story! And yes, indeed, Hamza became the Hero of our “World Theatres Community”; he indeed embodied the Ubuntu Philosophy: “I am because we are; we are one!” Hamza showed what relationship meant i.e. somebody who was treated unfairly but who was kind, observed skilfully, and in times of trouble, showed he had our best interests at heart!

Please note: names of my students have been changed to protect their respective stories.

I hope this story of Hope and Harmony would have resonated with you,