The Mzuri Dance Young Leaders in the Culture Club project were supported to facilitate weekly, safe, accessible and practical yoga based warm up practice for skills development and for a healthy weekly drop in exercise and dance class for young people in the Fitzroy community.

A co-designed and co-led traditional East African cooking program allows young people to learn and connect with traditional cooking practice and connect to their culture and other African culture. It is a great way to build social connection, passing on of cultural knowledge to the next generation while eating and dancing together builds community and healthy eating and lifestyle practices for health and wellbeing. 

Mondays afternoons at Atherton Gardens young people drop into the weekly Mzuri Dance Culture Club Dance Program. The Young Leaders are supported to co-lead and co-facilitate the sessions which often lead into rehearsals after class for upcoming performances. In 2022- 2023 Culture Club program supported the realisation of more than 4 performance works throughout the 12 month project including Federation Square for the African Music Cultural Festival, Multicultural Gala Dinner for Diversity Week by Multicultural Commission of Victoria performing to an audience of 1500 patrons and more performances locally in Yarra. 

The Culture Club Project promoted and fostered healthy eating habits by offering healthy snacks at the dance and yoga classes as well as the cooking program which culminated in more than 20 community members - family and young people, sitting down to eat at the end of a cook up. Always followed by music dancing and fun while cleaning and packing up. 

The Culture Club young people were supported by cultural mentors and professional artists from the Mzuri Dance Company team to headline and perform at the Multicultural Commission Of Victoria Gala Dinner for Diversity Week. The performance was programmed following the arrival of dignitaries including the Premier of Victoria and opposition and once they were all seated Mzuri dance Culture Club performed to an audience of 1500 people over 15 minutes sharing culture and story through dance song and music.

Culture Club was co-led and co-designed by the Young Leaders who have been attending the Mzuri Dance Young Leaders empowerment program which spans 2 years set to complete their leadership training by November 2023. They have been gaining work experience while training in dance delivery and facilitation, community engagement and bi cultural work, learning basics in earning income, and best practice in working in their local community.