20 FORTIFYING OUR LEGACIES
FROM LIVERPOOL WITH LOVE WITH KAREN GALLAGHER MBE AND MAXINE BROWN
BY MERCY NABIRYE
Karen Gallagher MBE and Maxine Brown, a recent recipient of the One Dance UK DAD Lifetime Achievement Award, share with Mercy Nabirye, Head of DAD, the influences and experiences that have helped to shape their careers in dance, and how they have kept resilient. Discussing their achievements, awards and impact over the years, both Karen and Maxine clearly demonstrate leadership fortitude. With careers in dance spanning over 35 years, they both have left a legacy and strong foundation at Merseyside Dance Initiative (MDI) for others to build on. Karen and Maxine have not stopped impacting others and continue to focus on dance, health, wellbeing and cultures of the African Diaspora. They are still navigating the creative space both within Liverpool and further afield!
Maxine Brown Š Brian Slater
Karen Gallagher MBE Š Viktorija Grigorjevaite
Karen mentions her key influencers as Elroy Josephs, Barry Montcrief, Veronica Lewis MBE; people who gave her inspiration and sensible authority to push forward to ensure that dance is being seen in the city, albeit the landscape always shifting. For Maxine, inspiration came from the drumming and dancing by visiting artists like Mapopo and Matonga; Peter Badejo OBE, Sheila Barnet, Jackie Guy MBE and Ben Baddoo who were using dance styles more choreographically and then sharing the dance back into the communities. It was a game changer, enabling her to invest in self to get into educational workshops. Maxine is one of a handful of practitioners who has trained in somatic practice rooted in African and Caribbean cultures. Watch the space for more creative works and dancing by thesetwo, as they globe-trot and juggle busy schedules as freelancers!
