Project Overview
We dey inside is an intimate, immersive Afro-dance retreat ingrained in storytelling, cultural exchange, and embodied learning. Created in response to the disconnection between movement & its cultural origins, the retreat offers a space to unlearn and reconnect with your identity, ancestry, and purpose. Through Afro-dance, dialogue, music, and community, this 3N/4D journey invites artists to rediscover their “why” & embody dance as a living archive of history, resilience, and collective memory. Drawing from Indian & African legacies, the retreat bridges cultures through intentional movement practices, self-exploration, & shared lineage. It prioritises spaces where movement is lived, & not just performed, where dancers can reclaim their voice & explore dance as a medium for healing, empowerment, and transformation. we dey inside is more than training — it’s about remembering, returning, and reimagining what it means to MOVE with MEANING.
Expected Impact
This immersive retreat builds a strong, inclusive community while providing intense training, cultural context, and a vision that transcends performance, tapping into your higher self. It empowers artists, creates space for deep collaborations, and sparks conversations around representation and identity. With powerful social media buzz, collective memories, and unforgettable content, it positions Afro dance not just as an art form, but as an inspiring lifestyle and way of life. Participants leave empowered with confidence, deep connection, and creative clarity. "we dey inside" inspires the youth of India and bridges generations, opening new career paths in Dance education, Theatre, and performance, while fostering appreciation for African heritage. It’s a celebration of movement, music, and belonging — igniting a fire that continues long after the music stops. Because this time, we’re all inside.
Applicant Background
Elsa Roy Gupta is a London-based Indian movement artist, choreographer, and cultural curator whose practice centres around African Dance, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Bollywood, and Indian Classical dance forms, with over a decade of professional experience across the UK, Europe, and India. Through teaching, performing, and collaborating with a range of Companies, Universities, and Theatre productions, she has acquired a good command of professional spaces. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Dance from the University of Roehampton and is now a core member of a UK-based dance company called Afroqueens. Elsa is committed to creating intentional environments that allow for expression, remembrance, and reimagination through the mediums of storytelling, healing, and human connection. As an artist and curator, she seeks to explore identity, rediscover voices, & cultivate spaces where women and diverse bodies can thrive through movement.