The dance class on the Andover estate

AN African dance class running on an estate in Finsbury Park is under threat following complaints from neighbours over noise.

Supporters are now campaigning to save the Kekeli African Dance Ensemble class, which has been told it may have to leave Andover estate after eight years.

It has been suggested that they switch the venue to Platform, a youth centre run by the council in Hornsey Road.

George Fiawoo, 72, who runs the class, said: “We’re established here. We’ve been here for eight years. We have a good rapport with the centre.

“We do things together, and in the summer when the children are playing outside in the square, they see us and come in and join my classes. We don’t understand why we would move.”

The class involves live drumming and Mr Fiawoo teaches a specific kind of traditional dance where dancers respond to changes in the rhythm.

He feels that the drumming has caused the noise complaint and has tried to “appease” the objectors by only using one drum and drumming less throughout the class as well as closing all doors and windows in the estate hall.

George Fiawoo is drumming less in class

Mr Fiawoo, who has been running classes across Islington for 40 years, said that his class offers something important to the Andover estate, adding: “Everybody has said the class is good for relieving stress. It’s for exercise as well, it’s aerobics and keeping healthy.

“Also, I’m from Ghana, so they’re learning about the cultures of Africa through music, dance, and song.”

He added: “So many people take the class and then decide they want to take trips to Africa and it gives them so much interest.”

Jenny Casman, who lives in Berriman Road, has been attending the dance class for just over a year.

She is a friend of Mr Fiawoo’s and is involved in campaigning for the class to stay on the estate.

“The whole group of regulars from the class are very anxious about it,” she said.

“I’m 76 and I’m welcome to the classes, and you’ve got loads of different people there, it’s non-discriminatory in every way possible.

“People who can’t afford it don’t pay at all and those of us who can pay what we can, and you get to be taught by a professional dancer and drummer. The classes are brilliant, just absolutely brilliant.

“It was suggested that the group could go to Platform but nobody from the Andover actually attends Platform. Although it’s just a stone’s throw away, they don’t go there.”

An Islington Council spokesperson said: “We’re aware that a number of residents on the Andover estate have complained about noise from the Kekeli African Dance Ensemble.

“We’ve been working with the ensemble to explore a number of suitable solutions. To be clear, these solutions are being explored and no decision has yet been taken, and we’ll continue to work with the ensemble.”