Shifting Ground – Reset / Reconnect / Reinvigorate

Dance Umbrella SystemsLAB Debate

Curated by Blulilli Projects

Image by Tony As

Shifting Ground – Reset / Reconnect / Reinvigorate  follows on from last year’s insightful discussion Tick Box / Break Glass / Look Pretty, which explored the experiences and opportunities for women of colour in the arts. Revisiting this subject a year later to discover what has changed personally, locally and globally for each of the original panellists.

This discussion investigates how the events of 2020 impacted their lives as they explore shifts in perspectives, identities, values and priorities; reflecting on what their relationship to the arts looks like today.

Facilitator: Dawn Estefan (psychotherapist, writer, trainer & speaker)
Panelists: Julia Cheng (Dancer, choreographer & Creative Director House of Absolute); Tracy Gentles (Director, Something To Aim For); Nike Jonah (Creative Producer)

Presented by Dance Umbrella in partnership with SystemsLAB

Access: Captioned and BSL interpreted by Rabira Dachi & Rachel Jones.

Shitting Ground After Thoughts

Some takeaway thoughts from the Shifting Ground panel on their experience of the discussion. Click HERE to discover more after thoughts videos by our panelists.

Dawn Estefan on the presence & absence of discussion around trauma
Nike Jonah on holding companies to account on their BLM support
Tracy Gentles practice of self-care
Julia Cheng discussing her experience on the panel

The Panel

Julia Cheng is a creative director, choreographer, dance artist spanning 15 years in the professional creative arts industry, with works presented nationally and internationally. She was appointed as Resident Choreographer 2020 for Royal Academy of Dance, she was a judge and mentor for BBC Young Dancer and mentor for the biggest UK Hip Hop Festival, Breakin’ Convention and recipient of runner-up prize for Hip Hop Dance Futures Award 2019. Julia has worked with Chinese Arts Now for the past 5 years which is an organisation championing British East-Asian artists. She is currently a Supported Artist with Bedford Creative Arts and University of Bedfordshire. Cheng has also co-directed several operas, one of which was awarded the George Butterworth Prize 2020, curated cross-art form exhibitions, theatre shows, dance films and youth productions. As the artistic director of House of Absolute Julia has created works for ICA, V&A, Sadler’s Wells, Southbank and more.Working with a team of multi-disciplinary artists  to combine live music, technological innovation, visual arts, spoken-word and multi-media performances.
Tracy Gentles is the Creative Director / CEO of Something To Aim For, a new charity that works to ensure inclusion is core to the creative and cultural industries. Their current work includes: flagship arts, health and wellbeing programme The Sick of the Fringe and Us In The Making, a new digital platform for experimentation, co-creation and sustaining communities online. Set up in 2020 through the support of Wellcome, STAF is an infrastructure organisation there to enable and support others. Tracy previously worked as a practicing artist, initially based in Manchester where she is from. During this time she was also engaged as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Salford (2004-2008) before later relocating to London to work with Clod Ensemble (2008-14) as Producer. In 2015 Tracy set up artist development organisation In Company Collective, which informs the work she is doing today.

Dawn Estefan is an International Trauma Psychotherapist, Writer and Social Commentator best known for her commitment to Mental Health Community Activism and the empowerment of women. Combining challenging narratives around Mental Health with the creation of bold and innovative platforms, Dawn has an unorthodox approach; tackling and exploring everyday issues through a Psychoanalytic lens helping those outside of the therapy world, to make sense of their lives and the world we live in. A good example of this is her “Psychoanalysis in Business” platform, which promotes “therapy for the business not the individual”, has seen her collaborate with brands such asThe National Theatre, Gal – Dem, The Tate as well as curating events such as “Creative Minds” for the Soho Music Festival. Also active in social policy change Dawn is an invited member of the Parliament Round Table Review of the Mental Health Act.
Nike has various roles in the cultural sector. She is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at Central School of Speech and Drama, and the lead for Popchange, a Pop Culture and Social Change initiative at Counterpoints Arts. In 2018, she launched Pan African Creative Exchange (PACE) a platform for artists based in Africa. Between 2008 and 2012, Nike led the Decibel programme, an Arts Council England initiative for African, Asian and Caribbean artists in England. Nike is a Trustee of the following; The European Cultural Foundation, The Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, The Royal Africa Society and The Bush Theatre.

Playlist: Songs to get you through

Click HERE to listen to it on Spotify and HERE on Youtube.

Curated by Anthea and the panel this playlist offers some highlights of their selections, responding to events during 2020. Each song gives us an insight into the individual journeys experienced during the global events.

Cranes In The Sky by Solange

“Solange’s analogy of the US’s reluctance to confront “all of these ugly things that are staring us in the face but the song is just as relevant in the UK.” – Dawn

Dreamin’ Of U by Samthing Soweto

“This song has been my hymn during lockdown as it encapsulated how I feel/felt during the hardest point of Lockdown, losing my dearest uncle.” – Julia

Fire by Bumi Thomas & Aina More

“Words have power with all the challenges around identity politics or culture wars.” – Nike

UMI Says by Mos Def

“Because of the words “Tomorrow may never come, Hold on To this Moment” The song sets the mood for the moment. – Dawn

Punk Champagne by Farai ft TONE

“It’s time for the bright young things to rise”. It felt like a very appropriate statement during the summer, discovered on the soundtrack to Michaela Cole’s ‘I May Destroy You” – Anthea

Police and Thieves by Zara McFarlane

“Remix of the 1976 anthem to the Notting Hill Riots, some themes just get replayed over and over.” – Dawn

A List Of Demands (Reparations) by Saul Williams

“At the start of 2020 (pre-COVID), we launched Something To Aim For as a new charity aiming to support artists and audiences at fringes of the arts and society in general. We launched our media channels with this song which felt fitting at the time.” – Tracy

Level Up by Ciara

“Every time Boris says this, I think of this song and Ciara’s words at the beginning of the video: Be your own boss – Love yourself – Get up and dance. Something truly tangible and in our control and fitting for Dance Umbrella Digital 2020.” – Tracy

Greedy Body by Wunmi Olaiya

“This is an old tune that feels relevant to the SARS Complaints coming out of Nigeria – it’s all about corruption and greed and how it the constant desire to be wealthy is or has destroyed Nigeria.” – Nike

Uncle ACE by Blood Orange

“This is my go to track when I need to cut loose or create a shift of energy. Whether in despair, joy, frustration or fear sometimes all you can do is move your body. MUST BE PLAYED LOUD THROUGH BIG SPEAKERS WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN… Sorry, not sorry neighbours” – Anthea

Dreams by Nuages

“I have been reflecting a lot in 2020 and looking back at some of the most moving exchanges I have had with dancers. One of the most interesting experiences I had exchanging for a judge demo at a Krump vs Waacking battle organised by Laurence Cooke. This track is one that took us to some other dimension together and left us all brokenly connected. Which seems somewhat poignant and relevant to this year.” – Julia

Sad Day by FKA Twigs

“My grandad came over to UK in his 50’s without speaking English to better his children and the next generations. This song was released a couple months ago and filmed in his old shop (which is now my aunties) in this music video/film. To see this released this year was a poignant moment as his legacy continues whilst he is no longer with us.” – Julia

Jerusalema by Master KG ft. Nomcebo

“I love watching the worldwide Jerusalema challenges, I love the story of how people heard the song in Angola and did the dance challenge.” – Nike