More footwork, more energy

Haba na Haba hujaza kibaba” – little by little fills the measure – inspires patience and growth. In his solo piece, Paul Damiano from Kenya reflects on childhood, playfulness, and life experiences that shaped him. Through dance, he invites audiences to explore memories, celebrate small steps, and see how they build the person we become. Haba na Haba is a joyful, reflective journey through Paul’s life and the wisdom of growing up.

Here we highlight voices and practices from the urban dance scene in the Ruhr area. Our starting point is to look at what is already there: we accompany collectives and crews and artists throughout the year in their endeavours and ask: what does the urban (dance) scene need to be vibrant and visible?

Between October 2023 and October 2024, six dancers from different cities in North Rhine-Westphalia explored the themes of belonging, exclusion and the search for their own artistic and professional identity within the urban dance scene in a dance research project.