Book Reading and Signing: The Black Dance Movement in England 1940-2000

Foyle Studio | 7pm - 8.30pm | Free, all welcome. 

WHOSE SHOULDERS ARE WE DANCING ON?

An evening of fun, music and dance and words from the recently published book by Bob Ramdhanie, The Black Dance Movement in England 1940-2000. 

The book introduces a parallel concept to the European exploitative ‘triangular slave trade’, by showing how cultural heritage circles were being nurtured and exported to the Americas, through enslaved Black bodies. Black dance, whatever label is used for the dynamic forms in the UK today, did not fall out of the sky!

About the book 

"The Black Dance Movement in England 1940–2000 is a major contribution to the dance history of that island for two significant reasons. Firstly, this is the only book that gives credit to many of the pioneers of the Movement of the last century and secondly, it fills a missing gap in the UK’s dance history.” (Germaine Acogny, choreographer, Senegal).

About the author

Bob Ramdhanie was born in Trinidad, lives in the Caribbean and will be here for the event. He has lived most of his life in the UK and has been a pioneer supporting the development of ‘black arts’ for over 40 years. He co-founded and managed three African/Caribbean dance groups - Mystics & the Israelites, Kokuma Dance Company and Danse de L’ Afrique - between 1970 and 1980. He was the Founder and Director of the Handsworth Cultural Centre and the CAVE Arts Centre in Birmingham, supporting and promoting black cultural traditions and was a co-founder and manager, for over twenty years, of the renowned, a cappella quintet Black Voices. Bob was a founding member and 1st Director of the Black Dance Development Trust.