Introduce yourself…
I’m Yasmin, I live in Dulwich. I moved to London about 20 years ago from Liverpool and I’ve been here ever since!
What do you do?
I work for a wonderful company called Whippersnappers, doing music workshops for babies and toddlers that involve showing the children percussion and instruments from all around the world. We finish every session with a baby disco, which uplifts everyone and puts a big smile on their faces. It’s great for peoples’ day, including mine!
Tell me more about the baby discos...
The parents and carers dance with the babies and put the music on. It could be some salsa music or rock’n’ roll. Katy Perry is always a hit! We get dressed up in blue wigs and little tutus, with colourfurl lights, a disco ball and bubbles cascading down. And then we finish with the hokey-cokey!
What’s your best disco outfit?
I’ve got several, so I’ve got this purple spaghetti strap sequin top. On my head I’ve also got a big pompom headband and I’ve got different styles of glasses. I might be wearing a Tutu as well. I’ve got a lovely orange one I got from a charity shop for £5 and a proper pink one!
My life is ordinary, but it’s extraordinary for myself because I love everything I do
Go-to baby disco song?
What gets everybody up and dancing is ‘I’m Still Standing’ from Sing!
What’s your favourite part of the job?
I love seeing the awe on a child’s face when they hear the music of a harmonica or a dream drum for the first time. My life is ordinary, but it’s extraordinary for myself because I just love everything I do. This job gets me out of bed, keeps me sane and energises me! I always feel invigorated after my classes, ââeven when I’m walking home in the pouring rain!
What has the response been to your work?
At the end of the class I take the time to ask the children what was their favourite part of the class, was it the sound of the Indian ankle bells? The singing or maybe the bubbles? A boy made me laugh because he said the cushions that he was sitting on! Children always make me chuckle with the things that they come out with. It’s all about creating golden memories at Whippersnappers. And those little babies that we’ve been singing to, grow up and come back to us. Today, a girl who I sung to over 10 years ago, waved to me from across the road. This is my day and it just feels extraordinary.
What’s something that you’d love to learn?
Well, one of my dreams as a child was to be one of the presenters of Eurovision and that’s why I tried to learn a different language every year. I know English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Cantonese. And now I’m learning Japanese and Mandarin! I just want to learn more languages like Swedish, Danish and Norwegian.
Who is your local London hero?
I would nominate my director. Caroline Burghard. She is a real people person and has supported so many families and children. She created these wonderful classes and founded Whippersnappers in 1994 and it just started off with the mattress on the bed and now it’s just generated into this tremendous community group. For me, she is my hero.
