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Episode 111 – The horrific conditions for members of the gay community in refugee camps

When members of the Sydney LGBTQI community started an online group during Covid featuring Drag Kings & Drag Queens lip syncing, they were excited to find that a group of refugees in an African camp had joined.

Danica Lani’s video series #dancebreak has been seen by 11.8 million people around the world. Her two dance groups, Show Ponies and Kings of Joy, empower people to explore their inner Diva and their inner Drag King.

Danica Lani has dedicated her life to making a difference in the world, whether that’s through various community projects and charities or in her TedX talk or through her dance classes.

Danica uses yoga, dance and tantra to teach people to feel more connected to and comfortable with their bodies. She also runs a dance group for beginners, both online and in person, called Show Ponies, all about unleashing your inner diva.

Show Ponies is where you can explore the divine feminine through the diva persona.

Beyonce created a persona called Sasha Fierce that she stepped into when she went on stage. At Show Ponies, you explore how to create your diva persona by doing a dance tribute to pop icons, typically from the eighties and nineties. At the end of the program, the participants put on a showcase with the Kings of Joy, a drag King group, as a fundraiser for the Hunger Project, which is about ending hunger on the planet by empowering local peoples come up with their own local solutions.

Find out more about this fascinating take on self expression and how you can support the Hunger Project and Block 13, the fundraiser to help the people in the African refugee camp.

"I had someone say to me recently oh, where do you live? And they were like, "oh, in the trendy suburbs, we live out further west, cause we can't afford the trendy suburbs." But the truth of the matter is I can't afford not to; I feel like I can walk down the streets and not feel like there's any kind of threat."

About Today’s Guest Danica Lani

Activist, champion for Equal Rights, dancer, teacher, leader.

Danica Lani is a Somatic coach, working with people to empower them through the body. She has a BA in Dance and an Advanced Diploma in Yoga Teacher Training. Her motto is "when you move your body, you move your mood!"
Danica Lani is a Somatic coach, working with people to empower them through the body. She has a BA in Dance and an Advanced Diploma in Yoga Teacher Training. Her motto is "when you move your body, you move your mood!" She lives in Sydney with her non-binary spouse Chris and their 5 year old daughter.

She teaches 6 online yoga classes a week. She has choreographed several award-winning routines for members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as an ‘In Bed With Madonnas’ parade float for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

She has specialised in flashmobs - for conference openings, marriage proposals and she has led live #dancebreaks for exhibition openings and arts festivals across Australia and in the US. She has a BA in Dance from Deakin University and her TEDx talk is about the value of living as a gift to the world.

Danica's video series #dancebreak has been seen by 11.8 million people around the world. Her two dance groups, Show Ponies and Kings of Joy, empower people to explore their inner Diva and their inner Drag King.

Connect with Danica:

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