african dance
Weekly community Afrobeats dance class in Dunedin New Zealand- Promo by Zoobe bunny
Community Dance Classes Dunedin New Zealand
One of the most exciting things I get to do is bring the flavor of my homeland to New Zealand. For 8 weeks starting next week, we will move and groove to the rhythms of Africa to stay warm in cold Dunedin. I cannot wait to dance with you all. See you there.
Wednesday Afrobeats July 15 @ 4pm
Friday Afro-Dizzy-ak (Aphrodesiac)
July 17th @12:10pm
665 Cumberland Street
3rd floor dance studio
Cost: Koha (Donation)
African inspired healing through live drumming and dance Auckland, New Zealand
Come and experience self transformation facilitated by Uzo Nwankpa, a global figure who is merging ancient knowledge with innovation in collaboration with Jimmy Dale from Drumtalk.
For booking call Jimmy Dale at 846 9663 or 012 123 2037
$20 when you book in advance by June 21st. $30 at the door. www.drumtalk.co.nz
Reflections and gratitude- The journey of the 2015 Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow
I am finally here in Aotearoa!!!!!
I am ecstatic about this moment. I remember when I was informed about this fellowship and I thought to myself ” This is perfect for me and I must go for it” and then the self doubt began. Am I good enough? What about my full time job? What about my living arrangements? Would they care for what an African woman living in the U.S has to say? Would they care that I am not a trained classical dancer? Would they care that I am not a stick figured dancer? What if they don’t understand my accent? Are there black people there? (this was before I found out the meaning of black in Aotearoa is different from where I live). I pushed through all the doubts and moved forward with the application. The application process was much simpler than I had expected. I had to send in a proposal about what I planned on doing through a paper and an unedited video. I had so much anxiety around making the video. I looked through youtube and could not find any previous winners of the fellowship posted. I had one week left to go before the deadline and no video. A friend suggested the interview style I used which made it less nerve racking and it worked. I had sent in numerous proposals which all got rejected so why would this time be different? sent it in with crossed fingers hoping they wouldn’t judge all the background noise and my hair (its a black girl thing to be worried about the perception of the hair). It was less than perfect but because of the timeline, I sent it in anyway. I prayed that it would be selected. I envisioned myself jumping up and down from hearing the good news. Once it was submitted, the anxiety dissipated and all I had control over was my mantras, visualizations and positive thoughts.
On June 26th 2014, I received an email that stated “Great news, I’m pleased to advise that you have been shortlisted for the Caroline Plummer Fellowship for 2015. Your application will be considered by the full board in mid-July. We will be in contact with you again following the boards consideration of the short-listed applications”. I was ecstatic!!!! I prayed, mediated and envisioned the possibilities of this opportunity. In July 2014, I received a phone call from the Dean of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences personally to notify me that I was the chosen recipient. I of course dramatically fell on the floor from shock of the great news and was in shock the rest of the week. It’s been almost a year since I received the initial information and since then, the press release went out, I notified my friends and family, left my full time nurse consultant job, and I have moved to a foreign country. I am here in Dunedin NZ reflecting on how I got here to this moment. Six months seems like hardly enough time to accomplish the work I have set out to do researching the effect music and dance has on mothers and babies. I hope that I am able to connect with the right people, learn what needs to be learned, honor and respect the people of the land and be present in the precious moments that are yet to come. Stay tuned for more of my reflections.
In gratitude
Uzo
The first African to recieve this prestigious fellowship-2015 Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow, Uzo Nwankpa
Photo Credit : Jade Beall
I am super excited to share with the world this wonderful news. I have been awarded a fellowship to work with a population that is near and dear to my heart women, children and their family. Check out the press release below.
University of Otago Arts Fellowships for 2015 announced
In my last blog post, The Uzo Method Project- A Public Health Solution- Community Based Resource Center for PMAD, I shared some research data that shows the importance of music and dance on energy and stress levels. This curiosity about music and dance continues as I continue to tie my graduate studies work to the power of music and dance. I am striving to build the relationship between being a health care provider in public health nursing and my gift and passion for dance, it is a no brainer to explore and study the best way to merge the two disciplines and worlds.
I was fortunate to be awarded this fellowship at the University of Otago. Yes!!!!! I am going to Aeotoera (New Zealand) as the 2015 Caroline Plummer Dance Fellow. I get to live my dreams combining dance with Maternal and Child Health nursing. This opportunity involves working with the community members of Dunedin NZ as well as the health care providers exploring the culture and perceptions around pre-natal and post-partum mood disorders (PPMD). This would lead to an informed community dance experience and a performance/arts installation at the end.The goal of my Maternal-Child Dance project is to share cultural ideologies around PPMD and engage in community awareness of the benefits of music and dance as a support for the mother, babies and their families and communities as a whole as members experience disturbances due to PPMD.
My dream…..
I wonder what it would be like if nurses, nurse home visitors, nurse midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, OB/GYNs, mental health providers, and family members used music and movement as a part of relieving the anxiety, preventing further depression, decreasing stress, building community, developing positive pathways in the brain, building relationships, improving caregiver child interaction, and improving communication through everyday practice.
Uzo Nwankpa
Founder Uzo Method Project
Dance as if life depended on it
My first ❤️= Egwu
~Uzo
African Dance in San Francisco
Back by popular demand….
A Pan African Dance Fusion Class taugh by Uzo Nwankpa
June 11th and 18th
7-8:30pm
10 Chase Court San Francisco CA
See you there
Bollywood with Kiran & African Inspired movements with guest artist Uzo
Kiran and Uzo are doing it again. There is an undeniable synergy between both of their styles of movement.
If you have not checked out Kiran, you are in for a treat. She brings her charisma,knowledge and skills into fostering a loving, safe and energizing environment at her classes.
Check her out at http://kirane.yolasite.com/
Uzo wll be teaching contemporary African inspired movements to the class. We will be working on Coupe Decale, Soukouss, Azonto and Afro Pop moves.
Come out and dance with us.
Monday Dec 9th @ 5:15pm
3838 E. Fort Lowell Rd, #2,
Tucson, AZ 85716-1731
(Ft. Lowell and Alvernon, next to Rendez-vous Restaurant)
See you there:)
Uzo Method Project @ First Fit Saturday Tucson AZ
This winter is HOT with community healing events all over Tucson.
This Tucson community in AZ continues to thrive for lifelong wellness and ofcourse WE are here to support the community bringing balance to health and illness. We will be facilitating community engagement at Healthy South Tucson’s First Fit Saturday: A Victory Party!
SO after the wonderful Family Fitness Fest, we will be headed to South Tucson to continue the wellness excitement. Come join us in some dancing, movement, music and community building. 
Hope to see you all there.
Keep moving.
Uzo
The Uzo Method Project- A Public Health Solution 