Some delicious aromas wafted through the air as Afrocats’ volunteer Shamim got to work in the kitchen ready to welcome our young people on our Youth of the World programme, which is gratefully supported by Children in Need.
Cooking up chicken curry and rice for the incoming hungry bellies, Shamim said: 'I enjoyed cooking. It's always a pleasure to cook for the kids!'
After a dessert of strawberries and plantain that the Afrokittens loved, one young person shared their thoughts on today’s lunch:
‘I liked the food, especially the chicken. I'm not a fan of sauces, but I really enjoyed this one.’
Then, the dancing kicked off with practitioner Lisa, who lead two icebreaker games to help everyone interact and introduce themselves a bit more.
‘It was great to see them performing and having such a good time... they were enthusiastic, giving it their all.’ (Lisa, dance practitioner)
The games included two versions of ‘Stuck in the Mud’: one classic version and another where the kids danced around the other ‘statues’ to unfreeze them – sounds like a great way to ‘warm up!’
Lisa then showed the young people how to make some hip-hop moves, designed to improve agility, flexibility, and memory skills.
The steps not only enhanced their physical abilities, but also helped the kids connect with each other and combat a sedentary lifestyle by getting the blood flowing, and heart rates rising with exerciseThese steps were then incorporated into a routine set to Meghan Trainor's ‘Better When I’m Dancing.’
Once everyone was comfortable with the choreography, Lisa added a colourful sash, introducing an element of movement and visual flair to the routine.
Then towards the end, Lisa choreographed a fun entrance for the kids to perform the full routine, and the use of the sash, free movement, a cannon, and a final pose made the dance both fun and engaging for the kids to take part in, and for their parents to watch.
To cool down, the kids played ‘Wink Murder,’ which was a great way to wind down after the high-energy dancing.
‘It was great to see them performing and having such a good time,’ said Lisa. ‘They were enthusiastic, giving it their all.’
‘It was also lovely to have their parents watching their young people immerse themselves in the routine, and it was a rewarding experience to have some familiar faces from previous sessions pop up and see how well they remembered the steps.’
Thanks to Lisa and our young people for all their hard work – we bet you can’t wait for the next session with Afrocats!
Find out more about what our young people get up to on our fantastic Creative Expression Saturday sessions here.
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