Blogpost by Dr. Andra Drăghiciu Finding Your Inner Rhythm – with Toby Gorniak MBE
Published on 12.08.2026.
Author
How can dance and film create space for conversations about racism, trauma, and belonging? This question guided a series of events that we organized in Berlin and Leipzig with Toby Gorniak MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in spring 2026. Through workshops, film screenings, and public discussions, participants explored how film, dance, and personal storytelling can challenge prejudice and foster dialogue.
At the heart of the program was That Boy (2025), Toby Gorniak’s documentary about trauma, hatred, and the potential for change. Across three events, the film served as a starting point for conversations about exclusion, resilience, and reconciliation.
Artist, Educator and Filmmaker
Toby Gorniak’s work spans multiple disciplines. As a hip-hop artist, performer, educator, and filmmaker, he has spent years creating spaces in which difficult experiences can be expressed, shared, and transformed.
His work is deeply shaped by his own experiences as a Rom who grew up in Poland and was forced to flee racist violence in the 1990s. In That Boy, Toby confronts this history head on by engaging in conversation with a former Polish neo-Nazi to explore the roots of hatred, trauma, and personal responsibility. Rather than offering simple answers, the film invites audiences to engage with complexity and discomfort – qualities that made it an ideal starting point for our program.
Berlin: Film, Conversation, and Movement
The program began in Berlin with “Find Your Inner Rhythm”, a workshop for Sinti and Roma youth organized together with our partners in the Cooperation Network against Antigypsyism. Following a screening of That Boy, participants reflected on their experiences of racism and belonging before translating these discussions into movement during a hip-hop workshop led by Toby.
Later that day, we hosted a public film evening featuring That Boy alongside Beyond the Divide directed by Imoje Aikhoje. Both films explore encounters between people whose lives have been shaped by racism and extremism, raising challenging questions about accountability, dialogue, and the possibility of forgiveness.
The screenings were followed by a discussion with Toby Gorniak, filmmaker Imoje Aikhoje, and artist and activist Tayo Awosusi-Onutor, who reflected on the opportunities and limitations of using film to address racism and far-right violence.
Leipzig: That Boy at Latcho Dives
The final event took place in Leipzig as part of Latcho Dives Roma Festival Leipzig, organized in cooperation with Romano Sumnal and the Polish Institute Berlin. Following another
screening of That Boy, audiences joined Toby for a conversation about the film and the questions it continues to raise.
Experiencing the documentary in different contexts – from a youth workshop to a public discussion and a Roma cultural festival – highlighted the versatility of Toby’s work. Whether through dance, education, or film, his practice consistently creates opportunities to reflect on difficult histories while imagining possibilities for dialogue and change.
Looking Back
The events in Berlin and Leipzig demonstrated the power of artistic practice to open conversations that are often difficult to have. Through film, dance, and dialogue, participants were invited to engage with questions of racism, violence, and resilience from different perspectives.
We are grateful to Toby Gorniak and his wife Jo for their openness, generosity, and commitment throughout the program. Our thanks also go to our partners – the Protestant Academy Berlin, Amaro Drom, the Educational Forum against Antigypsyism, the British Council, S27, Romano Sumnal, and the Polish Institute Leipzig – whose support made these events possible.
About the author
Dr. Andra Drăghiciu holds a PhD in Central European Studies and is a research associate at the Critical Film & Image Hub at the Research Centre on Antigypsyism (Heidelberg University).
