Jo worked in  Ethiopia from 2002 - 2004. She worked with Adam Benjamin to support the development of the Adugna Potentials, a group of eleven disabled dancers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who train and work as performers and teachers of dance to integrated groups.

 

Adugna (meaning “fate” or “fortune”) Community Dance Theatre began with a project in 1996. International choreographer Royston Maldoom and his Anglo-Ethiopian team worked with over a hundred disadvantaged young people in Addis to create a dance/drama performance which was seen by over 200,000 people. 

 

Under the auspices of the Ethiopian Gemini Trust and led by Royston Maldoom and Mags Byrne, a core group of 18 young people from this cast trained in Ethiopian, African and contemporary dance for five years. In December 2001, they graduated with credits from Middlesex University, London.

 

Jo worked with the Adugnas and the Potentials in a variety of ways, choreographing a piece and creating a film (Running through Bullets) in collaboration with them, supporting the development of the training in inclusive practise and advocating and fundraising for their work.

 

Jo’s work in Ethiopia has been supported by the Finnish Embassy; The Bonnie Bird Foundation; Dance UK, NewVIc and the Lisa Ullman Travelling Scholarship Award programme.