Body Movement: Dorine Mugisha

REFLECT. RELEASE. RENEW.

About the Founder

Dorine Mugisha is a French and Tanzanian multidisciplinary artist working across movement, theatre and community practice between the UK and Tanzania (based in Scotland,). From law student to youth work to artist, she is interested in themes of belonging, culture and body image. Her practice is often participatory; centring joy, collaboration and cultural exchange. Founder of Body Movement and Whacking Scotland - she is a key figure in developing the form in Scotland and Tanzania. Dorine has toured internationally with her solo work Akanana; Sweet Banana and currently developing 'Play on' show for young audiences.

Body Movement is dedicated to sharing the transformative power of movement in enhancing both physical and mental well-being, at your own pace. Whether you engage in an exchange, class, event, or opt for a bespoke experience, the overarching goal is to facilitate a space for reflection, release and renewing. Feelings first.

Photos by Pjaruga, Lublin Dance Theatre Festival

AKANANA; SWEET BANANA

Akanana Sweet Banana is an autobiographical solo work exploring Dorine’s multicultural upbringing and her experiences of moving between Tanzania, France and the UK. The piece navigates different people, places, languages and institutions, asking questions about identity, belonging, self-discovery and acceptance. Through her personal journey, Dorine reflects on what it means to hold multiple cultural identities and to find a sense of self across different geographical and social worlds.

The work is interdisciplinary in its approach, combining contemporary dance, street and club dance forms, spoken word, music and improvisation. Dorine performs and speaks in French, English, Swahili and Kihaya, creating a multilingual performance language that reflects the complexity and richness of her lived experience. Her movement draws on Whacking alongside traditional Tanzanian dance, krump and hip-hop, allowing different movement histories and influences to exist alongside one another rather than being separated into fixed categories.

Akanana Sweet Banana has been presented The Place London 2026; Lyra Art Edinburgh 2026; Lublin Dance Theatre Festival, Poland 2025; Kinani Bienalle Mozambique 2025; Transmission Gallery Glasgow (site specific version) 2025, Alliance Francaise de Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 2024

WHACKING SCOTLAND

Whacking Scotland was set up by Dorine Mugisha as a way to find and connect with other whackers across Scotland, following her move to Scotland around 2021. However, with limited to no presence of whacking at the time, she ended up accidentally building a community. It has has become much bigger than dance classes - from events to training opportunities to performance opportunities to international travelling, as well as being a support network where people build friendships, share food, attend protests, celebrate their bodies, and find various communities – different generations, backgrounds and experiences. There has been 4 years of Whacking Weekenders (3 day festival with workshops, panel discussions, dance battles), there has been 1 year of quaterly Open styles Jam through Dive Into The Groove,

Commonwealth Games Open Ceremony invitation: 2026
Buzzcut Performance: 2026
Queens Park Annual Hiphop Jam by Sunny Govan Performance: 2026
Hidden Door Performance: 2025 and 2026

Testimonials

@bodymovement.me
info@bodymovement.me

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