Rhian Kempadoo-Millar has worked with RJC Dance since 2001 to produce carnival troupes from concept to physical costume, running design, building, silk painting and textiles workshops. Read more about Rhian: bit.ly/44xrhQ8 ACE North @leedscommfound Leeds West Indian Carnival

Olympics opening ceremony is tonight! For Director Kathy Williams, MBE, OLY it's brought back a trip down memory lane - can you spot Kathy from the 1984 Summer Olympic Games? Kathy had a chance to reflect back on her own Olympic experience - Read more: bit.ly/3LESg3N

Still revelling from the excitement of the Open Ceremony and the weekends mesmerising sporting events Paris 2024 Olympics the Games are ‘lifting me higher’… loving the Olympic spirit, go Team GB go Team GB Gymnastics men’s artistic gymnastics team final today, you’ve got this!

Did you catch the Olympics? We were thrilled to see not just #teamgb but all the incredible athletes perform at the top of their sport! RJC Dance Director Kathy Williams MBE, OLY has shared some of her experience as an Olympic athlete in our latest blog: bit.ly/3LESg3N

Introducing AZUL 🌊 RJC Dance @carnivalleeds Troupe 2024 Keep an eye out for exclusive behind the scenes and AZUL sneak peeks whilst we prepare to take to the road once again ... Watch this space! 💙 #carnivalleeds #carnival2024 #carnivaldance

RJC Dance Shahck Out Youth Dance represented Yorkshire at this years' U Dance National Festival in Liverpool, presented by One Dance UK. We are so proud of the dedication and maturity that Shahck Out Youth Dance members demonstrated throughout the festival!

Faster, Higher, Stronger - As the Olympic Games Paris 2024, draws to a close, our director spoke to Liz Bates on one of the hottest topics at the games ‘The GOAT’ the amazing athlete who has transcended artistic gymnastics to dizzy heights– Simone Biles news.sky.com/story/what-can…

Funded by @your_community, our Summer Dance Camp was an energetic and fun-filled week of dancing, joy and friendship. Do you know a young person who would love to attend one of our FREE dance camps? Our October Dance Camp is now bookable via our website: bit.ly/3SDbB9r

Carnival is just a few weeks away! We are ready to share with you what we have been working on! Read more about 'AZUL' and see more images in our blog: bit.ly/4dhAsrt @Carnival_Leeds ACE North @leedscommfound @your_community

Weaving gold in with the sea blues, the Japanese art of ‘Kintsugi’, repairing broken pottery with gold, flows throughout our 'AZUL' troupe. ‘Kintsugi’ symbolises a sustainable focus, developing a deeper sense of resilience and strength.

Road to Carnival 🌊 Tanya Cusan-Espinosa, member of the creative team for AZUL, is one of the artists creating costumes for our AZUL Carnival Troupe. Read more about Tanya's experience preparing for AZUL , as well as our other two participants on our blog bit.ly/4cIDTGV

Carnival AZUL 🌊 🐋 🐳 🐬 A glimpse at some of the costumes you will be seeing at the @Carnival_Leeds 2024, using Eco-tex, non toxic dyes, recycled and repurposed materials. Our most sustainable carnival yet! All designed and crafted by the brilliant Mango Arts creative team 💙

Road to Carnival... 🌊 Youth Provision member Dillon is participating in his first Carnival this year with RJC Dance. Dillon attended our free half-term dance camp back in 2017 and now, he has grown in to a dedicated member of Boyz Noize. Read more: bit.ly/4cIDTGV

Our most sustainable carnival yet, AZUL, has been an exciting creative challenge for the Mango Arts team, making neckpieces from factories' t-shirt offcuts and creating sea kelp from recycled bin bags! See these gorgeous pieces up close on the road soon! 🌊💙 @Carnival_Leeds

What do you need to be ready for @carnival_leeds tomorrow? ☑️ Comfortable shoes ☑️ Water ☑️ Suncream/Hat/Sunglasses ☑️ An appetite ☑️ A positive attitude See even more tips here: bit.ly/3AyF2TJ See you tomorrow, Leeds! #carnival2024 #leedscarnival

AZUL - The Conscious Carnival! If you saw RJC Dance at Leeds West Indian Carnival last week, you couldn't have missed the stunning headpieces, designed by the Margo Arts team. Water bottles and Covid visors were melted and sculpted into the "sea kelp" look and painted with non-toxic paint.

‘The Power of Sport’ - what an amazing two weeks of Paralympic competition, the epitome of inclusion & solidarity - congratulations to all the participants of Team GB, 124 medals, you smashed it! #everybodymoves #ParalympicsGB #ParalympicGamesParis2024

After an exciting summer, Carnival and few days off, the team at RJC Dance are so happy to have you back this week. We look forward to sharing some more in the coming months, bringing our October half-term dance camp and preparing for our end of the year showcase!

The history of RJC Dance and Carnival Take a look back at where RJC Dance began our journey with the @carnivalleeds from the mid 1990's to our most recent, AZUL. View the newest page on our website to see how far we have come: bit.ly/3TbXKar

Acclaimed dancer, director, educator and writer Omari Swanston - Jeffers has been selected as Remembering What’s Forgotten’s first poet in residence, centring mental health and racial justice in Leeds. Co-produced by Synergi-Leeds, Words of Colour, RSL Fellow Khadijah Ibrahiim