What have you been doing today?
Today started quite simply. I woke up, said my prayers and did a bit of exercise before getting on with some tidying and house chores, usually with my regular motivational podcast playing in the background. After that, I checked emails, worked on some content for my social media page and made breakfast. I also spent some time reading, planning and researching for an upcoming project. Alongside all of that, I was caring for my one-year-old, so the day involved constantly moving between being a parent, an artist and managing the practical things that come with everyday life.
Is this a typical day for you?
Perhaps tell us how your day can vary across your practice. Yes, in many ways it is. My days rarely follow exactly the same pattern, but they usually involve moving between different parts of my work and everyday life. Some days are more physical and might involve rehearsals, movement research, workshops or being in the studio. Other days are quieter and focused on planning, reading, writing, researching, replying emails or developing ideas for future projects. There are also days centred around community work, meetings or conversations with collaborators. Because I work across performance, choreography and participatory work, the rhythm of each day can change quite a lot. I also balance this with family life, so I have become used to working flexibly and making use of the time available to me.
How have you made space for your own wellbeing today?
Today, I made space for my wellbeing through prayer, exercise and quiet moments to myself. Dance and working out help me a lot, whether I am at the gym or exercising at home. Movement helps me clear my head and feel more grounded. I also make time for reading and quiet meditation. I have found that wellbeing does not always require setting aside a large amount of time. Sometimes it is simply about finding small moments throughout the day to reset and reconnect with myself.
When and how did you start working with culture, health and wellbeing? How does this compare to today?
My work with culture, health and wellbeing developed gradually through my work as a dance artist and through working with different communities. I have always seen movement as more than performance. It can create connection, build confidence and give people a way to express themselves. As I began working more in community and participatory settings, I became more aware of how creative experiences can support belonging and wellbeing. Today, this is a more intentional part of my work. I think much more about care, access and how people experience the creative process, not just the final artistic outcome.
What was the last project you came across that inspired you and how?
A recent experience that inspired me was creating and staging Becoming, a new solo dance-theatre work, for the first time. Taking the work from an idea and rehearsal process into a live performance gave me a lot to reflect on as an artist and opened up new possibilities for how I want to develop it. Around the same period, I also spent two weeks choreographing and working with a group of children towards a festival performance. Watching their confidence grow, seeing them become more comfortable with the movement and eventually take ownership of what they were performing was equally meaningful. What inspired me most was moving between my own artistic development and supporting others through creativity. Both experiences reminded me why I value making work, sharing it and creating opportunities for other people to discover something through movement.
Joachim “Jojo” Keke is a Bradford-based dance artist, choreographer and theatre-maker whose practice explores memory, migration, identity and belonging through Afro-contemporary movement, theatre and participatory work. His work moves between performance-making, choreography and community engagement, with a particular interest in how movement can create connection, support expression and make space for people to share personal and collective experiences. Recent work includes Becoming, a solo dance-theatre piece, and The Memory House, an immersive project currently in development through Bradford Culture Company’s Artist-Led Award. Joachim is also Director of Rooted Original Cultural Arts CIC and continues to develop projects that bring together artistic practice, participation and community connection. More about his work: website:joachimkeke.com, Instagram:@Jojomanii