Runaways - help our vision come to life!

Aim: We are fundraising to adapt our Dance Film 'Runaways' into a powerful live Dance Theatre show to tour Birmingham and the West Midlands.

We are a collective of passionate artists and community leaders working as part of a Black-led charity called KD Culture. In 2022, we began a creative project called Xaymaca - named after pre-colonial Jamaica, following  dialogue with Taino communities across the globe, we took to the streets of Birmingham, asking the public what parts of our heritage where important to support their success! Three years on we created Runaways - a dance film about a journey through time from the fearful, shackled footsteps of our ancestors to a liberated future. Runaways honours the pain and sacrifices of the past and melds it into a fearless and euphoric celebration of freedom in open land and nature.

We have a vision for Runaways to be a dance theatre production heavily inspired by the freedom fighter Queen Nanny of the Maroons. Her innate understanding and connection to the environment, helped her free slaves. Runaways will display the experience of fleeing captivity and finding sanctuary in nature, and then returning to reclaim not just physical land, but cultural memory and independence.

This will be our first ever dance film adapted for a live outdoor show! Runaways was developed through CREATE, an initiative for local artists. The opening scene is a dance embodiment inspired by one of the dance artist’s visit to Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, a former site where enslaved Africans were held and traded by the British. The rest of the film imagines cultural memory, embodied freedom to a connecting with nature.

 Through dance, live music and striking design, this production will honour the resistance, resilience and creative expression of African-Caribbean heritage.

 Why we want you to support this narrative told by us:

• Because it is a tribute to those who fought for the land they walked on

• A meditation on what it means to root in liberation and  imagination

Please help us to raise funds to bring Runaways to live dance theatre, through an outdoor dance theatre experience across Birmingham and Midlands spaces and venues.

Why are we doing this now?

Because we believe that land cultivation and honouring our cultural identity go hand in hand. Inspired by Jamaican harvest and ceremonial dance traditions, this performance celebrates Folklore, Nyabinghi and reggae influences - fusing movement, storytelling, food and rhythm to explore themes of land reclamation, resilience and freedom of expression. Dance and music were the first methods of communication for the human experience — it feels like the best time to filter this this through and connect across generations.

What makes us different?

• We’re the only female Black-led touring dance company in Birmingham working across varying mediums of dance and movement, as well as arts in health.
• Our projects are led by professionally degree level trained artists and dancers
• In past programmes with hyper vulnerable communities, 100% of participants reported improved mood and being uplifted through participating in our dance and movement experiences.
• We create intergenerational spaces where young artists can learn directly from older adults.
• We contemporise historical stories through performance, storytelling making them relevant for today and future generations.

Your donation will go towards covering:

•Costumes
• The creation of a new education resources for schools and community groups
• 5 rehearsal and development days between artists and community groups

About KD Culture and Keneish Dance

Keneish Dance works in partnership with charity KD Culture. We believe everyone has the right to be in tune with their own mind, body and spirit through the power of dance. We are an intercultural company rooted in the lived experiences and diasporic narratives. Led by Keisha Grant, we create interdisciplinary live performances and dance films that explore the human experience. Our work is driven by traditional and unique movement languages that reflect creativity, freedom and emotion. Keneish Dances recognition has included several awards including Best Contemporary Dance Company and the following year Most Innovative Dance Company across all industries from SME Midlands Enterprise Awards and has most recently been nominated for the Business & Culture Award from the Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Charity.

See more about Keneish Dance here: www.keneishdance.com

Your donation is appreciated no matter how big or small!

Thank you for reading!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 19th September 2025 at 11:54pm