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Road to RJC Dance and Mango Arts’ Carnival Troupe: BANYAN
15th July 2025
The 58th Leeds West Indian Carnival 2025 is just around the corner and the excitement at RJC Dance is building. We met with Leila Gurnah and her daughter, Samara, members of RJC Dance Adult Community Class and Youth Provision, who shared their unique journeys and experiences ahead of this year’s Carnival.
Discovering RJC Dance – where our stories begin
Samara, 11, member of Youth Provision’s Shahck Out Juniors, is eagerly anticipating her second Carnival with RJC Dance. Having previously participated as a member of the ‘t-shirt crew’ in ‘AZUL’, winner of Leeds West Indian Carnival Best Troupe Overall 2024, Samara is excited to have been selected to be a performer for this year’s troupe ‘BANYAN’, which is a celebration of deep roots, strong communities, collective growth and addressing rainforest conservation.
She is excited about the unique colour palette of the costumes this year and the emphasis on sustainability. Samara says ‘the Carnival parade on the road is the coolest part of the day’ and loves getting to meet new people along the way.
Leila Gurnah, Samara’s mother, initially became involved through volunteering at RJC Dance and chaperoning Samara at last year's Carnival. She found the experience "unbelievable - such a privilege to be a part of”. This year, Leila has become more involved, having joined the Adult Community Dance class, and hopes to take part in the creative costume workshops led by Mango Arts, helping the team with the finishing touches. As a volunteer, Leila will be supporting the 100 strong troupe throughout Carnival day.
Preparing for BANYAN: The Road to Carnival 2025
As Carnival day gets closer, preparations are ramping up! Samara is ready for all the hard work that being a performer requires, particularly during the Carnival troupe rehearsals throughout August. When we asked for her top tips for participants, she wisely advised, "Be prepared. You're going to have to work hard, but remember this is also for you to enjoy yourself."
Leila highlighted that Carnival weekend is a big commitment, often a whirlwind of activity for three days straight, leaving everyone wonderfully tired by Tuesday! She shared some super practical tips for the long day: "water, loads of it" if it's hot, and definitely "make sure your shoes fit” because it’s non-stop dancing! Most importantly, during the almost five-hour parade, Leila said, it's all about " keeping the vibe going!"
The Spirit of Carnival: A celebration of heritage, culture and community
Leila has been attending Carnival for over 20 years as a spectator and now feels a deep appreciation for contributing and helping to preserve the event’s community-focused roots. She added that it's "nice to put something back, to do something to contribute and to see all the hard work behind the scenes," emphasising that it's much more than "just a big party." Samara perfectly summed up her biggest takeaway from Carnival: "being more confident and being a part of the RJC Dance community."
Make sure to come watch Leila, Samara and the rest of all the wonderful RJC Dance performers bring BANYAN to life at the Leeds West Indian Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August. See you at 2pm as the parade leaves Potternewton Park!
For more information, visit: https://www.leedscarnival.co.uk
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BANYAN is supported by Arts Council England, Leeds City Council and University of Leeds.