2024 Dance & Safety Series For Teens & Kids
This Series Has Been Generously Supported By
About Our Annual Youth Dance and Safety Event
In 2026, as Toronto celebrates the FIFA World Cup soccer games, our series will combine the spirit of soccer to engage at-risk youth in the arts and community safety. By integrating crafts (soccer ball art design magnet), movement (Latin and Caribbean dances), and street safety (situational awareness and pair games and drills), we can provide a creative outlet for approx. 150 youth across 4 NIAs. This year’s curriculum will be split into a 2-part series, a Summer Break series (June to August) and a Fall Halloween (September to October).
The goal of our series is to get more youth who live in NIAS and areas with high gun violence rates to move more and feel safe as they walk around their neighborhoods. To achieve this, sessions include fun dance energizers to help the youth warm up to each other and beginner street safety lessons. Our sessions are always beginner-friendly and adapted to meet the group’s needs. Since 2019, the series has impacted the everyday lives of over 500 youth between 6 to 18 years old.
How It Started
The first free Youth Dance and Safety event was in 2019, after Sumera and her sister, Sarah, discussed safety being a factor in why attendance remained low in so many of the free after-school and weekend youth dance and fitness classes that her peers were running in a few communities. Without a parent or older sibling available to drop them off and pick them up, many would not attend. Sumera decided to ask three community partners if they wanted to host a session where they could combine both a dance component and a self-defense component. Three one-off sessions were held across 3 communities and all of the sessions FULL.
To find out more about the 2023 Dance & Safety Event highlights, click here.
Our Safety Facilitators (2019 to 2025)
Niv Goffman and Jesse Solloum from Krav Maga Maleh Canada
Gemma, MMA fighter and owner of Girls Who Fight Inc.
Nikki, Six Krav Maga
Kris, a martial arts coach, men’s nurse, and kinesiologist
Sumera, kids and youth street safety curriculum and games only
A List of Host Organizations
2019
Success Beyond Limits - JaneFinch
L’Amoureux Community Center
SLYE Network
Weston Frontlines
Hijabi Ballers
YMCA Scarborough Newcomer Girl’s Project
2021 to 2023
Weston Frontlines
Success Beyond Limits - JaneFinch
Stephan Leacock Community Center
Mcgregor Park Community Center
Albion Boys and Girls Club, Albion Neighborhood Services
Rexdale Community and Health Services
2024
Weston Frontlines
Success Beyond Limits - JaneFinch
L’Amoureux Community Center /City of Toronto Parks and Recreation
Albion Boys and Girls Club, Albion Neighborhood Services
Rexdale Community and Health Services
Kickstart Kid’s Club, The Neighborhood Group Services
Flemingdon Health Center
Toronto Public Libraries (Humber Summit and Victoria Village)
Project Xguard Brazilian Ju-Jitsu
2025
L’Amoureux Community Center /City of Toronto Parks and Recreation
Albion Boys and Girls Club, Albion Neighborhood Services
Rexdale Community and Health Services
Flemingdon Health center
Project Xguard Brazilian Ju-Jitsu
