‘You say I’m a black guy. I know who I am, do you know who I am?’
Born to Manifest is a powerful new hip hop dance double bill that illuminates the experience of young black British men. Joseph Toonga draws from real life accounts to a create a poignant, responsive piece that simultaneously champions cultural identity and challenges racial stigmas. Set to an original score from Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, this dynamic new dance work explores the themes of mental health and the power and privilege that still oppress and dictate. Joseph delivers stark home truths through the complexity and beauty of an individual’s journey.
‘I feel a responsibility as a black male to empower the younger generation as a role model and example of how dance can provide a positive, successful route. Mental health and black men’s experiences of it, is little discussed, which is why I am passionate about creating awareness to shift stigmas’
– Joseph Toonga, 2018.
Price: From £10.00
Duration:60 mins
Age: 14+
More Birmingham Listings MORE
Crabs in the Bucket – Honouring Our Communities
Racial Justice Network Birmingham invites the community to a thought-provoking Black History Month conversation exploring relationships between African…
Off-Key
Friendship, ambition and Black girlhood collide in Off-Key, a sharp and heartfelt new coming-of-age drama from award-winning theatre…
BlackFest Ultimate Black Arts Showcase – Closing Ceremony
BlackFest 2026 comes to a spectacular conclusion in Birmingham with the Ultimate Black Arts Showcase, an evening dedicated…
Birmingham Black Business Conference 2026
Big ideas, bold connections and building legacies come together at Birmingham’s fifth annual Black Business Conference. The Birmingham…
The Reasoning Room
Who gets to teach us, whose knowledge is valued and how can Black communities shape education for the…
Shoobz Fest
Music, art, history and community come together for a full-day celebration of Black British and Caribbean culture in…