The live panel of dance artists Patrick Ziza, Ella Mesma and Bakani Pick-Up will explore the topic of Queerness and Diaspora, with an opportunity to ask questions. Suitable for all ages.

Patrick Ziza’s artistic goal as a dance theatre practitioner is to create a variety of works that explore the themes of African heritage and cultural norms and investigate the effect they have on black people who were born or have lived in the Western communities (outside Africa) most of their lives.

Ella Mesma is a choreographer, coach, artist and creator. She also goes by Maya Gandaia. She is an author, the director of Ella Mesma Company and co-creates PowerUp!, a podcast to help us all unlearn, rebuild and empower ourselves back to our true nature.

Bakani Pick-Up (co-curator of Encounters) is a choreographer who creates improvisational works centred around practice and methodology on ‘Ways of Being’ within performative structures. Research topics they have explored include the disassociation between live bodies and screen bodies, decolonising practice and improvisation methodology for creating inclusive performance.