Destino Dance Company was founded by Junaid Jemal Sendi and Addisu Demissie in February 2014. When Junaid and Addisu were 11 years old, they were working on the streets of Addis Ababa when they were selected to participate in an extensive five-year dance training programme by Dance United London and the Ethiopian Gemini Trust. Today their goal is clear: give others the chance that they were given 18 years ago, and transform people’s lives through dance.

Since then they have performed internationally in festivals across Europe and Africa and worked with world-renowned choreographers such as Russel Maliphant and Hofesh Skector. Despite such success in Europe Addisu Demissie and Junaid Jemal Sendi are committed to working Ethiopia and using their skills to positively impact their community and train the next generation of dancers in their country.

Addisu Demissie and Junaid Jemal Sendi, well known dancers from Ethiopia, are no strangers to Wales. They have visited Wales on several occasions to work with TanDans, Valley and Vale Community Arts and Jessie Brett, an independent dance artist based in Cardiff. Addisu and Junaid will be visiting Wales in November after a month of performing in Spain to promote their new company DESTINO: Ethiopia’s first social enterprise on dance. DESTINO Dance Company has two missions:

The first one is to establish a three-year arts education programme for 12 young people from underprivileged backgrounds such as orphans, young offenders and street children. The programme will focus on contemporary dance, Ethiopian traditional dance and theatre, but also management and life-skills to allow them to be independent, confident and creative members of their communities.

The second mission is to establish a performing company to promote Ethiopian-contemporary dance through festivals and events in Ethiopia and performances abroad.

Addisu and Junaid are coming to Wales to perform their latest work, Ene Man Negn (Who am I), and Chase The Chaos a collaboration with local dance artist Jessie Brett at Chapter Arts Centre. Jessie Brett has been collaborating with Addisu Demissie in Ethiopia and Wales for over 3 years and now collaborates with DESTINO Dance Company Ethiopia as well as creating her own projects with women and dancers with disability in Ethiopia.

Valley and Vale Community Arts are supporting DESTINO’s visit to Wales and Addisu and Junaid will be teaching many workshops across Cardiff and Bridgend. Valley and Vale with Jessie Brett have organised a fundraising event to promote their important work at an Ethiopian Pop up Restaurant at Penylan Pantry to celebrate the Ethiopian Culture and food.

DESTINO will be at People Dancing, an Foundation for Community Dance conference, where they will perform and be involved in a panel discussion.

DESTINO Dance Company is looking for support for their important life changing work in Ethiopia. You can support in many ways, by attending a show, workshop or event, donating to the crowd funding campaign, or collaborating with DESTINO in the future. Find out more on http://www.destinodance.org/index.php/contact-us

Come to a DESTINO Event:

6th November 7.30pm- 9.30pm at The Gate Theatre. Valley and Vale Arts Presents: Dance for DESTINO. A fundraising event to support dance for change in Ethiopia. Price £7 £6 concessions, free Ethiopian coffee on arrival. Tickets on the door.

13th November 8pm at Chapter Arts Centre. DESTINO Dance Company and Jessie Brett performance,

14th November, Cardiff. DESTINO Dance Company at People Dancing Foundation for Community Dance. Performance and Panel discussion.

22nd November 10.30am- 1.30pm African Dance workshop open to adults at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Uwic Campus, £16 contact jessiebrett@hotmail.com to book a place.

23rd November at 7pm, Pop up Ethiopian restaurant at Penylan Pantry

Contribute at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/destino-dance-company

To stay up to date with DESTINO’s activities in Wales please like their facebook page facebook/destinodance, Linkedin , or visit their website www.destinodance.org