Saturday 20 July 2013

GROOVE 2013: DANCERS GET BACK STAGED



GROOVE 
It was a great night, a night that the dance industry should have took a hint. Follow me closely because am heading somewhere with this. The set up, the content and lighting was commendable. I mean there was also a groove camp *clap clap clap ululation*.

And am still mad, no not mad, I am sad, sullen, because it makes perfect sense. That a huge event like groove awards, with all its glamour can survive without dancers, they can do it without dancers. Don’t take me wrong, I appreciate all dancers that did a performance, dancers that were behind the faces of other artists who I believe were not paid for the performance. Go ahead and laugh and argue,” this is not about money Its all in the name of spreading the gospel.” I don’t believe  at one point I caught a dance  crew asking an artist who had just won an award to thank them after she received an award.

TAKE A HINT
Does it mean that dance is a supporting art? That it can’t exist without other/some forms of art. Being real entails painting a picture as it so appears or so rightly should appear so here is my canvas and you can call me a painter, for all I care. Dancers be wise in your engagement and realize that being on TV is not everything, when and how are you going to bring that plate of food for once in your own house matters a lot. Wake up and smell the cookie, be paid for your creativity, build your future and always make it a growth process. Be observant and learn because event organizer will always look to reduce cost and maximize profit. This is business so the question is does the profit margin increase at your expense?


I will also take this opportunity and express my deepest respect for the President. This, as Bob Collymore (call me more) would so put it, is the coolest president Kenya has ever got. Supporting the art, Dr. Hassan Wario, hat off for being at the show and that is a strong positive statement. I read president Uhuru speech and I am hopeful for a better life for a Kenyan dancer. A Kenyan dancer will not belong to the other art forms (support artist)


H.E. THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA UHURU KENYATTA READING HIS SPEECH AT THE GROOVE AWARDS 2013.



                                                                                                                             

2 comments:

  1. A great piece my brother. However, the industry is so dynamic that it requires dancers to take things into their own hands and of course in the wisdom of God. What I mean is that for dance to be taken seriously, dancers must take efforts to develop the market, the audience. Let the audience view you with great value. Let there be a buzz in Kenya when you talk about dance. Let there be systems of creating this buzz. A good example is dance peeps. Let take matters into our own hands for our better future by increasing our marketing value.

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  2. True shalom and as the saying goes..A man is his own worst enemy n since dancers are human it goes without saying that if a chance exist for redeption, it must be a delibarate step by dancers. Great respect for your management Shalom.

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