Ritah shares how she promotes community inclusion and diversity through dance
My name is Ritah Anastacia Namaganda and I am the president of Afro-Fusion Dance, one of the many clubs and societies in the Students’ Union at the University of Portsmouth.
At the start of February, our society (Afro-Fusion Dance) had the incredible opportunity to perform at Mary Rose Academy, a special education school that now holds an important place in my heart.
This collaboration showed what international students, and home students alike, do to encourage community inclusion and diversity.
Mary Rose Academy has young pupils aged 2-19 years and most have high support and medical needs, and are often unable to attend events in our local community. A representative from the school reached out to us with the idea of bringing Africa to the school and leaving a positive experience for the young pupils.
Together, we created a magical moment that would be cherished forever.
As part of the celebrations, the pupils spent some time learning about Xhosa and Zulu, which are two of South Africa’s 11 languages. They created Xhosa beadwork, got creative and painted the South African flag and learned some dance moves. As well as making and tasting South African treats. The MFL day - Modern Foreign Language day - ended with a live performance of three dances from Afro-Fusion. As the music filled the air and the dancers took to the stage, there was a sense of pure joy and excitement in the room. The children's faces lit up as they were transported to the vibrant rhythms of South Africa. It was more than just a performance; it was a moment of connection, understanding, and pure celebration.
This experience at Mary Rose Academy was a reminder of the power of music, dance, and culture to bring people together, regardless of background. It was a moment of pure magic, made possible by the coming together of two groups with a shared vision of inclusivity and joy.
I feel so privileged to have been part of this incredible experience. I am grateful to everyone in Afro-Fusion who makes this possible and I hope that sharing this with you brings a little piece of that joy into your day. Here is to the magic of music, the beauty of dance, and the power of coming together in celebration.
For our upcoming performance at the Festival of Cultures Performance Showcase during Global Week, we plan to fuse many cultures together. Our performance will highlight dances from Togo, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Jamaica coupled with more recent afro pop genres. The Festival of Cultures will take place on Thursday 14 March, it is free to attend and we look forward to seeing lots of you there.