Kinetika Bloco

About

The Kinetika Bloco is a performance group with an exuberant mix of young brass and woodwind players, drummers, steel pan and dynamic dancers all in costume creating a “unique new British Carnival sound with a decidedly London edge” (BBC Radio2). We draw our influences from the Caribbean, Brazil, Africa and New Orleans. Our achievements include: performances at Notting Hill Carnival, Bestival and London Jazz Festival; performing for Nelson Mandela who called us “enchanting”; representing the UK at Beijing Olympic Festival; leading Team GB in the 2012 Victory Parade; collaborating with major artists like AfroReggae, Hot 8 Brass Band and Jerry Dammers at high profile venues including Southbank, Roundhouse and the Royal Albert Hall; starring on BBC 1Xtra and BBC Radio 3’s Young Artist Day and performing our own second-line in New Orleans.

Kinetika Bloco was established as a charity in June 2010, but has been in existence since 2000 when it was first established as a project within Kinetika Art Links International. In 2016 we became a Youth Company in Residence at Southbank Centre and in 2018 we became an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation.

Kinetika Bloco’s mission is to get young people from South London engaged in long term creative activity advancing their education, skills, and capacity. Through the music, dance, design and leadership activities we enable young people to have creative engagement, determine company policy and direction and to follow pathways for leadership and career development and participate in society as mature and responsible individuals. We have an outstanding track record in musical progression, developing a consistent and proven talent pathway for young artists which empowers them to develop creatively and take a lead within Bloco and the wider sector.

Kinetika Bloco aims to embody and promote a positive representation of youth in London.

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