Our dance family at 30: Agnes and her family

As RJC Dance celebrates its 30th anniversary, we want to share some beautiful intergenerational stories of the families who dance with us. Next is Agnes Richards and her family, who answered our questions about their experience with RJC Dance. Alumna Agnes is still very involved in the Adult Community Class and through her encouragement and support, her daughther Hermione has now joined the Adult Community Class at RJC Dance. Agnes' grandson Nahvon was previously a member of the RJC Dance Youth Provision - Shahck Out Juniors and granddaughter Tanasia is currently in RJC Dance Youth Provision, Shahck Out Thursday.

How does it make you feel to see your daughters with RJC Dance Adult Community class and grandchilden dancing with RJC Dance Youth Provision?

It gave me a great sense of pride to know we were 3 generations of a family, performing in the RJC Dance Christmas Showcase. Just knowing that I am still able to dance with my daughters and granddaughter gives me a sense of achievement, especially when we were all on stage together for the finale. I hope that my daughters and granddaughter also feel as proud of me, as I do of them.

I must admit there was a time I felt I wanted to step away from the performance side of dancing and just leave it to the younger ones, but the excitement of doing another performance with my daughters gave me that push that I needed.

Last year I made sure we all got photos together as a lasting memory to show what we accomplished as a family.

What memories does it bring back from your own experience dancing with RJC Dance Adult Community class?

I remember the first time I performed in front of an audience as a member of RJC Dance Adult Community Class and the fear that I felt in my stomach. I was so scared that I was going to freeze and forget the routine, but then the enjoyment and the excitement takes over and even if I made a mistake, I just continued enjoying the performance.

I think it was the 2^nd performance I did when we were dressed in black and yellow which stood out the most for me. I remember being at the back giving it my all, I think I overdid the dancing a bit, but I so enjoyed it.

How important do you think dance and exercise in your life?

I have always enjoyed dancing even though I am not that good at it. My daughters have all been brought up with music and dancing in the home. There is even videos of us dancing to Spice Girls dance routines somewhere in the house.

I feel exercise of some form is so important for healthy living. I have tried a range of different forms of exercise off and on over many years and have always felt a sense of achievement when I completed the sessions. I have done several exercise videos over the years from Rosemary Conley to Mr Motivator. I continue to do a Zumba DVD exercise 3 times per week because as a dance, it makes it a less boring form of exercising and more fun which is great for mind body and soul.

When did you become a member of RJC Dance Adult Community Class?

I joined the Adult Community class when Napps (De-Napoli Clarke, an original member of RJC Dance) was the dance teacher, I do not remember the year, but I think I was in my 30’s. I remember I found it very difficult to keep up because this was the first time I ever danced in the format of following someone else’s instructions. I do remember really enjoying it. I also remember Napps was the dance teacher when I did my very first performance on stage. After that performance, I think I was too scared to do it again!

How did you get involved with RJC Dance?

I was encouraged by Athaliah Durrant (The Mama of Mama Dread) to come down to the Mandela Centre to try out RJC Dance Community Class. She kept on telling me how much fun it was, in the end I came down just to please her and ended up really enjoying it and attended classes regularly from then on. It paused for a while at the Mandela Centre. Napps then moved to Hillcrest School where he then introduced us to Zumba classes for several weeks. Then these classes also came to an end. It was about a year or so before I again got back into dancing. Again, it was Athaliah who encouraged me to come back down to RJC Dance Community Classes, this time led by Nillanthie, (an alumni of RJC Dance Youth Provision) which were back at the Mandela Centre. I then attended the classes each week and have continued to enjoy the classes to this day. I have been attending now for over 12 years. In fact it has become the highlight of my week as it gives me the opportunity to work out pent up negative energy and replace it with joy and positivity, even if it is just for the rest of that day.

How does your shared experience of RJC Dance Adult Community Class impact your relationship with your family?

It is fantastic for us all as a family to be able to do something that we all really enjoy together. After many years of trying, I managed to encourage my eldest daughter Hermione, who has always been very reserved, to attend a class. She also now looks forward to the classes each week. Seeing how much she has come out of her shell, makes me realise that RJC Dance Adult Community class brings out more than just dancing abilities, it also promotes growth and confidence in oneself as I have witnessed happen in Hermione when she did her first stage performance which I never thought she would ever do!

For myself and my daughters the Adult Community class is the one thing that we do together which has brought us a lot closer as a family. Instead of just being mother and daughters, for that 1 hour each week we are dancers who will then talk and laugh about how much we enjoyed each dance session. Then we have Tanasia (granddaughter and member of RJC Dance Youth Provision, Shahck Out Thursday) as the youngest member of our family for now, who also enjoys attending her classes. Tanasia will sometimes show us her moves which will usually be a lot more complicated than what we have learnt, but we will all still have a laugh trying to copy.

Even my grandson Nahvon joined RJC Dance Youth Provision - Shahck Out Juniors at the age of 10 till the age of 15. I watched him perform in several Christmas shows, developing and improving his confidence, dance skills and stamina over the years he even played the guitar in one of the shows. Nahvon was then able to transfer the skills learned via dance into his passion for playing basketball. Nahvon, now 18 and over 6 feet tall, plays basketball for his college.

I feel we have shown age does not limit what we all can enjoy together.

It is so good to know that we as 3 generations are all able to enjoy the provisions that RJC provides.

How would you describe RJC Dance in 3 words?

Exhilarating, Energetic, Enjoyable.