Pupils get a taste of Africa with Genesis

Pupils at a Hackney primary school have taken part in a workshop to learn about the arts of African drumming, dancing and storytelling, thanks to funding from Genesis Housing Group’s ‘Community Chest’ fund.

The local Pan-African Drumming and Dance Theatre (PADDT) group received £1,000 from Genesis’ Community Chest fund to provide young people with the opportunity to learn new skills, and to increase their self-confidence, team-working skills and understanding of different cultures.

Over two days, 40 young people learned how to tell the famous African story of Anansi the Spider and Onini the Python. The storytelling incorporated dance and music, and ended with a performance to the rest of the school and parents.

Kelly Pryor, teacher at Woodberry Down Primary School said, as she danced along with the pupils, “This is a fantastic multicultural activity that encourages cross-curricular (music, literacy, drama) links and allows pupils to interact and work with each other in different circumstances.”

PADDT is made up of local residents from the Hackney community. Genesis Community and Manor House Development Trust have been working with the group to help them grow so that they can bring drum and dance to more Hackney residents.

Victoria Dzivenu, local resident, lead dance tutor and treasurer for PADDT, said: “This is my passion and dream”. Over the last year she has been running dance and drum lessons from the Robin Redmond Resource Centre in Hackney, charging participants a small fee but finding most of the cost out of her own pocket. But thanks to the grant from Genesis Community now she no longer has to fund it herself.

Vitolina Samu, community grants & support officer at Genesis Community, said: “Genesis Community and Manor House Development Trust are proud to have helped PADDT deliver their dream to the enthusiastic Woodberry Down residents. Genesis is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and positive community initiatives and it’s great to see the children getting really into this. It goes to show the great wealth of talent in this community.”

Pictured: Woodberry Down Primary School children (Years Six and Seven) learn African storytelling techniques, including dance and music, with the Pan-African Drumming and Dance Theatre group (PADDT) with Victoria Dzivenu