On Saturday 9th May, communities came together at the Royal West of England Academy for Dances of Diaspora! a vibrant celebration of culture, heritage, and connection through dance.
Conceived by Diverse Artists Network in partnership with RWA Gallery, the event brought together dance artists, performers, facilitators, and participants from a wide range of cultural backgrounds for an uplifting afternoon of performance and shared joy.
At Movema, we were excited to be brought in as producers and delivery partners for the event, supporting the festival through our experience delivering community-centred cultural events, our knowledge of folk dance traditions from around the world, and our commitment to supporting diverse artists with care and collaboration.
One of the most exciting aspects of Dances of Diaspora! was the opportunity to highlight folk and social dance traditions that are often unseen or underrepresented in high-profile cultural spaces. Throughout the day, audiences experienced Colombian folk dance, Tibetan traditional dance, Jamaican Junglist movement, Turkish finger cymbals, and the newly created ‘Unity Dance’, each carrying stories of migration, resilience, identity, and belonging.
The event took place throughout the RWA galleries, with dancers moving in and amongst the Dance Out exhibition artworks, creating moments of connection between visual art, movement, music, and audience. Seeing dance activated within the gallery space brought a completely different energy to the experience.
“It was fantastic to bring the Diaspora event to the RWA. It was a joyful day, seeing different groups dancing throughout the gallery.”
— Connie, RWA
A particularly meaningful outcome of the project was the way it welcomed new and diverse audiences into the gallery space. Many participants and attendees had never visited the RWA before, and the event created an environment where people could experience the gallery in a completely different way.
We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in helping bring this important project to life and to support spaces where cultural traditions can be shared, celebrated, and passed on.
A huge congratulations and thank you to all the performers, facilitators, artists, volunteers, and participants who made the event so special.
Thank you also to our partners Diverse Artists Network and Royal West of England Academy, as well as supporters Arts Council England, for helping create such an uplifting and unforgettable day.
Diaspora Festival as part of Dance Out, Royal West of England Academy (RWA), photographer Khali Ackford/KoLAB Studios
