BE THE CHANGE

It was earlier said that pride comes before a fall and I also know that when you are on the highest point the only way remains is down. We live in a country where Lupita can run on a cover of a newspaper for two weeks. My boss says all is well and I nod in acknowledgement while inside I swallow a bitter pill because I know my bank account reflects torn papers if not coins dragged in grounds of excessive taxation vs low provision of social amenities. I choose to cut her short because its also true that, Kuishi kuingi ni kuona mengi- dance is power and an art that in small measures can cure killer diseases of social immorality and decadence. Great dancers are a disciplined lot, they work tirelessly to achieve a technic, they practice without fail, they listen and execute, persevere and push to the limit. It’s until they know the technic is right that they get creative, they challenge the known and within the limits set in the technic explore new movement challenging their predecessors. In Kenya we have as such a few dancers whose main aim is not to just dance but dance right…correct I mean.  I wonder why? I really do because within me I know there is real joy in doing it properly.

 

Probably we don’t have enough teachers, or we fall short of our leadership qualities that the art of passing it on-which is so proudly African-eludes us. We are so glued to making money rather than enjoying the job. We fight to support other art forms, be on TV airtime creating content in form of competitions because we feel its important to be seen. So important that we would rather be judged by unqualified judges, presenters chose of their celebrity status rather than their deep knowledge on dance-even the effort to gain a little knowledge. Consequently, the wrong crews are praised, hailed for their loyalty and boot licking. The real dance crews names are misspelled, mis-represented for not being flashy because their choreography is too intellect. Yes I am disgruntled and am wondering if something good would come out of this. It pains me to see so much resource go to waste while I sit and watch. This is my way of doing something.

 

Sited in a hotel with one Dj Slim Sufficient (CEO Swap Unit) sipping his tea tells me that in Kenya, Dance cartels are up and running and that’s why we see so little success in real dancers. Impostors are running away with the fame and money, the audience in its very innocent state is being fed with the wrong movement and as he continues to point this out I can’t help thinking of the amount of semi naked women our music videos prefer to talented movement. He says that if we don’t do something about it, dance will loose meaning. Real and well crafted movement will fade away-will disappear. I blink in fear and am speechless because I thought the fake always fades away. He smiles and am now confused, wakes from his seat and signs of, “there is hope”

"THERE IS HOPE"

What can we do?