EDITOR'S WELCOME Pawlet Brookes MBE
Welcome to this issue of Vanguard. This edition explores the achievements of Black British women and highlights the significance of intergenerational performance and resilience in the dance industry. 2023 was another strong year for Serendipity with the launch of 100 Black Women, a project celebrating the stories of Black British women who have made a positive change across arts, education, technology, science and community activism. We are excited to have five artists capturing the stories of 100 women who deserve their recognition in British and Irish history, working towards an exhibition in Black History Month 2024. Also in this issue, an interview with Jamaal Burkmar highlights his latest work, How To Build A Universe. We hear about his decision to incorporate intergenerational performers into this piece and the value of improvisation in his creative process. Veteran performer, Djoe Tomakloe has shared his experience as a dancer and the challenges he has overcome throughout his career. Featuring in this year’s Black British Dance Platform for Let’s Dance International Frontiers (LDIF24), Tomakloe is a fantastic example of resilience and provides inspiration for those facing challenges in the dance industry. Finally, in this issue we hear from our Heritage Team with a paper about the current exhibition, African Dialogues, drawing attention to the hidden realities of the African Diaspora that are so often overlooked by society. The work explores the timeline of colonialism and African countries' struggle towards independence and works to dissipate the misconceptions associated with migration trends. We hope you enjoy this edition of Vanguard and we look forward to enjoying our 2024 programme with you.
Image Credit: Pawlet Brookes. Photographer Matt Glover
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