This weekend, Move Together x Camps Breakerz is coming to Peckham, south London for a day of dance in celebration of Camps Breakerz, a breakdance school or crew on the Gaza Strip providing a place of refuge, safety and joy for children displaced by the Israeli regime.
We caught up with Fleur Constance, Founder & Creative Director at ARCCA, one of the organisers, to find out more about the event.
Q: Tell us about the event and the line-up.
A: Move Together x Camps Breakerz (25th May, Peckham Levels) is an awareness-raiser, fundraiser and celebration of the incredible work done by Camps Breakerz, a break dance school in Gaza. We will be exploring how movement can provide connection, resilience & hope. The event is a collaboration between Camps Breakerz, ARCCA, Rain Crew and Counterpoints.
We feel blessed to be joined by Camps Breakerz co-founder Ahmed Alghariz, who will be facilitating a trauma informed movement workshop, talking on our panel and judging the breaking competition.
Our panel discussion will be considering how dance and music are used as therapeutic practices, acts of resistance and as tools for solidarity. Ahmed will be in conversation with Shadia Mansour and Tarek Khwiss.
Homemade Palestinian and Iraqi recipes will be served by Faye Matloub from Recipes for Resistance and Gazan chef Omar Haj. We have generous donations for our art stall that is raising donations for Camps Breakerz on top of our ticket sales. There will be artworks from: Andrew Millar, Gary Stranger, Emma Warren, Gareth McConnell, Clayton Burke & Sabina Plamenova. We also have set design by Storm Foster.
There will be dance performances by Sasha Shadid and Tarek Khwiss’ dance trio; a somatic session led by Divya Satwani; live music by Kairo Girls’ School and Yung Yusuf.
We have DJ sets from Anja Ngozi, Snuff, Kofi, Chilly & Sarra Wild across the day into evening.
There will be a Get Down for Gaza 2v2 breaking competition, judged by Shark (Ahmed), Bgirl Candy & B-Boy Kat-what?
We feel so much gratitude for everyone who is coming to share, support, connect and move together.
Q: Why did you decide to create this event?
A: The event came out of a conversation I had with Funk (co-founder of Camps Breakerz) who was keen to discuss ways that we could celebrate the work of Camps Breakerz in London. Funk then connected me to his brilliant network, including Clint Sinclair, who has been a key collaborator in this process, alongside Mona El Ghzal & Maren Ellermann. The process of this project unfolding has shown us what a community built from love, trust and care can look like.
Q: What can audiences expect?
A: We want everyone in the space to feel supported; to experience moments of reflection; find space to process; and to feel connected to a sense of shared understanding. The event has been curated in a way that allows all our senses to be held. Touch and sight through the movement and visual art, smell and taste through the food, and sound through the conversations and music.
Q: We’re living in a period of significant prejudice and animosity towards Palestinians but also immigrants and migrants. In the UK, there are deliberate attempts to stop cross-cultural exchange and the movement of people. How do events like these create hope, connection and joy, and why are they important?
A: In a world where keeping people separate maintains power and control, we must see it as our duty to keep bringing people together. It is through sharing spaces that we are able to process, reset and move forward. Once we have done those things, we have more capacity to collectively create the change we need. “More people create more energy, it is with that energy you can create change” (Jokkoo Collective, friends and collaborators of ARCCA). We are more able to feel hope and joy when we are surrounded by those who hold shared values and who are taking steps towards making the world a better place.
Q: What’s the impact of grassroot events such as these and how can they impact and incite change?
A: These grassroots events build true community. We become united through these moments and memories. It strengthens us on so many levels. It gives us the opportunity to come as we are and move through the feelings whilst being surrounded by a deep and expansive sense of love.
It becomes a reference point and a reminder that together we are strong.