BlackChat in Conversation with Bob Ramdhanie MBE

The Development of Black Dance in Britain: An exploration of the social and cultural context of the emergence of Black dance in Britain

Dr Bob Ramdhanie MBE will be giving a talk about the development and history of Black dance in Britain at Serendipity’s latest exhibition Manifest: Black Dance 1940 – 2019 on 4 May 2019 at BBC Radio Leicester.

Bob has been actively involved in dance development in the UK for over 40 years.  He established Birmingham base Kokuma Dance Company in 1977 then went on to initiate and directed two major centres for Black artistic cultural expression in Birmingham.  He was the first official director of the Black Dance Development Trust, the ground-breaking organisation representing the interests of the African and Caribbean dance sector in the Britain.  For his contribution to the arts, the Drum Arts Centre awarded Bob the first Arts and Cultural Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

In his talk, Bob will be walking the audience through Serendipity’s collection of original dance programmes, brochures, photographs and costumes giving his captivating first-hand account of the emergence of Black British dance.

This is a unique opportunity to hear the hidden story of Black dance from one of its biggest proponents and central figures.