Moving Grounds

#Report: On March 26, 2026, Obiajulu Ozegbe emerged as Chairman, becoming the youngest practicing dancer to hold the position. His victory came unopposed after two contenders stepped down. He now leads an executive team drawn from different generations, suggesting an attempt at balance, even if how that will work in practice remains to be seen. It is tempting to call this election historic. In some ways, it is. But history, especially in cultural institutions, is not made by turnout alone. The real test lies ahead: what happens after. Read more via @movinggroundsjournal (link in bio). We acknowledge the significance of this moment for the dance community and extend our congratulations. Great GOND. 📝 @phaith.ot Moving Grounds is a @beghastfoundation platform under the Cultural Preservation & Research Program (C.P.R.P), focused on documentation, research, and critical discourse on dance practices across Africa. #dancejournal #movinggrounds #beghastfoundation #ekogondelection

Four days to Afrocan: Chant Town #2025 This year marks Afrocan’s first return as a full festival in seven years with its Chant-Town edition. Across West African street dance culture today, there is a noticeable shift, a quiet confidence and an ease in how young dancers create, experiment, and respond to their realities. You see it in how they pull from everyday life, in how their bodies connect to sounds and styles moving across borders, and in the growing sense that movement is its own form of authorship. Afrocan’s Chant-Town edition, taking place from the 16th to the 21st of December, aligns directly with this moment. Our new piece unpacks the festival’s place in this moment, its meaning, its memory, and the people who make it matter. Click the link in the bio @movinggroundsjournal to read the full article 📝 @phaith.ot Editor @seyivortex — 📷 @dharmhie 🎥 @yemiosokoya @kredol_creativeidol #dance #movinggroundsjournal livewithbeghast

Mara is shifting. And last weekend proved it. Mara Mania offered something the trend cycle rarely does: context. It framed Mara as a cultural practice, shaped by neighbourhoods, sounds, and young people experimenting in real time. For a movement that has long existed at the margins, Mara Mania showed that strategic collaboration; grounded in authenticity; can build platforms that reflect the complexity of contemporary Nigerian youth culture and attract global attention. Mara Mania didn’t attempt to “upgrade” the culture; it clarified it. And that clarity is what will push the movement beyond virality and into continuity. The exhibition continues at Alliance Française until December 20th 2025. If you care about dance as knowledge, street culture, or documentation, go see it. Click the link in bio @livewithbeghast to read the full story. __________________ 📝 @phaith.ot 📷 @dharmhie 🎥 @usman_is_man #livewithbeghast #maramania #dance

Our thoughts are with every life affected by the recent violence. These are the same communities that shape so much of our creative landscape. As a culture journal, we stand for safety, dignity, and justice. Our hope is for a future where communities can live, gather, and create without fear. 📝 @phaith.ot #livewithbeghast #movinggrounds #northernnigeria

The Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND) is charting a new course for the future of dance in Nigeria. Join us on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos, for the GOND National Press Conference themed “Elevating the Art of Dance, Redefining Performances.” Let’s move the culture forward, together. #GONDPressConference #DanceMustNotDie #NigerianDance #CreativeRenaissance #DanceLeads #CulturalReform #Beghast

Looking back at @pbrain__ victory at the Red Bull Dance Your Style Nigeria National Finals, a moment that should have taken him to the world stage in Los Angeles. “This is to every dancer in Kaduna, Jos, Enugu, wherever you are, you can do it!” Those were the words of Peter Uzodinma, aka P Brain, shouted from the stage at Landmark Event Centre, Lagos. Four years of trying, countless rejections, and finally, a win. Yet, his story doesn’t end where it should, a visa denial means he won’t represent Nigeria at the global finals. Click the link in bio @livewithbeghast to read the full story. __________________ 📝 @phaith.ot Editor @seyivortex 📷 @beghaststudios #beghast #archive #dance #redbull #danceyourstyle #nigeriandancers #creativeeconomy #DanceCulture #PBrain #movinggrounds #portharcourtcity

The movement continuea. The First Dance Award is back for its second edition, and YOU get to help write this next chapter. Nominations are now OPEN across multiple categories, from Best Dancer to Most Influential Dancer of the Year. Whether you’re a dancer, fan, student, or dance enthusiast, your vote matters. Nominate someone whose movement moved you. Tap the link in bio to nominate 📌 Nominations closes August 10th 2025 Follow @thegrandawards_ for more updates. 📝 @phaith.ot #livewithbeghast #thegrandawards2025 #dance #nigeria #movinggrounds

Inside GOND’s Power Shift and Nigeria’s Cultural Crossroad.
What happens next could shape the future of Nigerian dance. Following the quiet shift in leadership at the Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND), we went live with the newly elected national leaders, in a conversation themed ‘The Dance Must Not Die’ curated and moderated by Faith, whose recent essay ‘Inside GOND’s Power Shift and Nigeria’s Cultural Crossroad’ reads like a mirror held up to the entire dance community. Click the link in the bio to read the full essay. The questions raised go far beyond leadership titles. They speak to deeper wounds dancers in Nigeria have normalized for too long: a lack of protection, the erasure of our history, and silence in spaces where decisions are made about us, without us. For Faith, this conversation is bigger than a livestream. It’s about cultural survival. He writes that GOND’s core challenge now isn’t just administrative reform, it’s becoming a living, breathing platform that reflects the full spectrum of Nigeria’s dance ecosystem. That’s the reality this new leadership inherits. That’s their test. What would it take for Nigerian dance to reclaim its dignity?
Will this new leadership rebuild, or inherit a broken system?
And are we, as dancers, willing to engage with the Guild and demand more? These are the questions we must ask, not just as artists, but as custodians of a cultural legacy. Because dance in Nigeria is at a crossroads. Watch the live. Reflect. Share. Then read the full article, all links in bio. 📝: Faith OT Okoh @phaith.ot Editor: Seyi Lasisi @seyivortex Headline Photo: Segun Adefila @segunadefila Adila Omotosho @adilaringz Taitu Ajibola Ajibode @tairuajibola Faith OT Okoh @phaith.ot Background photo: David Anietientabasi @iam_kingdavinci #livewithbeghas #gond #DanceMustNotDie #nigeria #DanceAdvocacy #culturalleadership #thefutureofdance #GuildWatch #Beghastfoundation #movinggrounds #guildofnigeriadancers

Nigeria’s Dance Community: The Moment Has Come. Leadership has changed at the National Guild of Nigerian Dancers (GOND), but the bigger question remains, Will this spark real change for dancers across Nigeria? Join us on: 📅 Thursday 10th July 2025 ⏰ 2Pm - 3Pm Where is it happening? IG LIVE @livewithbeghast This IG Live isn’t just about the Guild, It’s about us. Our stories. Our struggles. Our future. How do we reclaim ownership of our craft, protect our rights, and build an ecosystem where every dancer thrives? Join @segunadefila @adilaringz @tairuajibola and @phaith.ot as they unpack: — What’s really at stake for Nigerian dancers — Why this leadership shift matters — How we can all shape what comes next The dance must not die. The time is now. Tag a dancer. Share this. Be there. #livewithbeghast #beghastfoundation #TheDanceMustNotDie #dancenigeria #GOND #nigeriandancers #dancerights #danceleadership #dance #nigeria

GOND ELECTS NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 
Here are 6 things you need to know about the Guild, its journey, and why this historic transition could change everything for dancers across Nigeria. << Swipe left For too long, many dancers didn’t know who represented them or if the Guild still worked for them. But with this new leadership stepping in, the spotlight is on dance governance, protection, and progress. As the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism & the Creative Economy @fmactce_nigeria invests heavily in music, film & fashion… Where does dance stand in this new creative economy? This isn’t just about titles, this is about dancers’ rights, recognition & future opportunities. 🟢 SWIPE to catch up fast
🟢 TAG a dancer, every Nigerian dancer should know this!
🟢 JOIN the IG LIVE conversation with GOND leaders on @livewithbeghast Thur 10th July 2025, 2pm - 3pm, your voice matters in this new chapter. The Dance Must Not Die! ✒️ @phaith.ot Background Picture: Dr Steve James #GOND #livewithbeghast #guildofnigeriandancers #naijadancers #dancenews #dancerights #danceindustry #dancenigeria #dancersunite #dancecommunity #protectdancers

WE WISH THE WORLD A HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY!! Dance has never been just movement. It’s protest. It’s memory. It’s survival. From the streets of South Africa, Congo, Nigeria, and Rwanda to the stages of the world, dance has carried the weight of resistance and the power to spark real change. In this post, we’re spotlighting historic moments when dance moved beyond the stage—and into the heart of social transformation. Because when words fall short, bodies rise. Swipe through. Remember. Rethink the power of movement. Share with us in the comment section a moment where dance drove social change in your community, we are reading ☺️ 🖊️ @phaith.ot Slide 1: Source unknown Slide 2: @obiajuluozegbe @_slumparty Slide 3: @masterkgsa @sabcnewsonline Slide 4: @sherriesilver @sherriesilverfoundation @instagram @bet Slide 5: @roosterdancer_ If you know who created the #jerusalemdancechallenge challenge please tag them in the comment #DanceAsResistance #worlddanceday #LiveWithBeghast #MovementMatters #DanceForChange #culture #historicdancemoments #dance #aparthied #southafrica #nigeria #congo #rwanda #africa #world #instagram #art

AFROCAN IS BACK— and it's calling all dancers to join the conversation on the transformation of dance in Lagos at the #townhall meeting on the 26th of April 2025 This gathering is more than just a meetup, it’s a chance for dancers to reconnect, reflect, and reignite the spirit of the dance community. After three years of pause, @_afrocan wants to hear directly from dancers about the challenges they’re facing, especially in today’s tough economy, and explore how every dancer can support each other, grow together, and shape the future of dance in Lagos and beyond. Afrocan has always been about creating space for expression, collaboration, and movement, this meeting is the first step in bringing that energy back. SEE YOU THERE!! 🖊️ @phaith.ot #livewithbeghast #dance #afrocan #culture #community