I am from the Caribbean island of St Lucia. I came to the UK in the 60s. Life was very tough for the “Windrush Generation”. However, I eventually got a job with the civil service where I stayed for many years.

I heard about Quadrille since a child from my Dad. He was not a quadrille dancer but he always talked about it. When we asked him what it was he said it was an old time dance.

Although I have experience in other styles of dancing, I didn’t know how quadrille was danced until I went to Peckham Square, SE London, one Saturday afternoon in September 2023, and saw the JANUKA group performing. It brought back memories of my Dad telling us about quadrille when I was a child. I was captivated by the elegance and splendour of this dance.
After participating in the workshop that followed the performance, I asked if I could join the group and they said “Yes, there is a class every Friday at 7pm”.

I joined JANUKA in October 2023. I enjoy being a member of this friendly, supportive group where learning is a dynamic process. Beverley, the dance teacher is very professional and passionate about mastering the quadrille dance as an important feature of our Caribbean cultural heritage. Thank you for all your help and support, as I learn step by step.