BBOY SHADOW: DANCE IS MY SHADOW

His story is great. Francis Muturi Ng'ang'a aka Bboy shadow as he is popularly known in the dance realm is calm, composed and usually a man of little words. His movement is strong and courageously executed probably because he grew up in East lands. Evidently, he works hard and smart and though so modest in his outlook he is fierce in battle.

 

FRANCIS MUTURI NG'ANG'A

Hey man, where have you been?

BBOY SHADOW: around kuhepa nayo! hope you good lakini?

 Am cool man baridi na mvua tu.

BBOY SHADOW: ha ha cool man, me naelekea zoezi.

Hakuna kupumzika?

BBOY SHADOW:  Yeah hakuna iyo time jo.

Hee whats the plan man?

BBOY SHADOW: Got to work hard man to sustain this great gift. Big things coming though.

How long have you been bboying?

BBOY SHADOW: 7 years man.

Wow that’s from 2007

BBOY SHADOW:  just breaking started with power moves though then later on got the basics.

Where was this?

BBOY SHADOW: Around my hood. Kangemi is my hood.

Kangemi has produced some of the top Dancers in the country

BBOY SHADOW:  yeah it has and we pushing the upcoming ones to achieve even greater.

Did you have a teacher to school you in dance?

BBOY SHADOW: Nope never had one

How did the dancing start?

"It was this one time I was watching dance movies and started gaining interest in it and one thing lead to the other. I was watching YOU GOT SERVED and from there, I knew what I wanted to do."

~Bboy SHADOW

BBOY SHADOW:..I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO  DO.

What attracted you really?

BBOY SHADOW: seeing all those dance choreographers both new and old creating crazy moves and transitions made me come up with my new style.

New style?

BBOY SHADOW:  yeah of creating choreographies and free styling.

How different is it?

BBOY SHADOW:  more of techniques; took a lot of effort

So , 7yrs ago, what were the challenges back then?

ON THAT DOPE...

BBOY SHADOW:  my biggest challenge was that I did not have to teach me the basics and space for practice was an issue.

But Kagemi is the home of street dance in Kenya or so I thought

BBOY SHADOW:  yeah it is and still is but when you starting something not all people are satisfied with your effort you know.

Yeah I know…so, are you a YouTube bboy?

BBOY SHADOW:  I don’t do YouTube that much.

How can you describe your training?

BBOY SHADOW: Its way intense…

Ehe

BBOY SHADOW: …and fun too.

How did you get material for training?

BBOY SHADOW: I had to look everywhere; I had to do a lot of research on my own.

Did you get enough?

BBOY SHADOW: Not all but still can’t complain you have to work with what you have.

Are you a self made bboy?

BBOY SHADOW:  yeah because I try everyday to come up with my own flow, technique and style.

Your flavor is contained and fierce on the down rock. What  is the inspiration behind your movement?

BBOY SHADOW: it’s from within. Seeing myself from nothing to something really motivates me in a huge way bro and looking back its progress that keeps me wanting to do more.

That’s so powerful. Did you always figure you were a straight out bboy?

BBOY SHADOW:  I never thought of myself as real bboy at the start.

What changed?

BBOY SHADOW:  Guess it’s the hard work  I was putting in and didn’t want it to go to waste.

Where does your brother Dave pokaz come in all this?

BBOY SHADOW:  we all started working together up to now but for him he was a bit afraid with exposure but now he is crazy.

No Dave is just bonkaz man what! Is he your twin brother?

BBOY SHADOW:  Yeah he is.

I knew it, so now since you guys are twins. I must ask…do you feel pain when he is hurt?

BBOY SHADOW:  ha ha ha sometimes

Ha ha ha what crew(s) do you rep?

BBOY SHADOW:  Street pokaz, sisko, creative cooks and Team Kenya.

Absolutely dope. Tell me about street Pokaz.

BBOY SHADOW:  Actually we started the group just me and my brother Dave.

 

STREET POKAZ

How many are you?

BBOY SHADOW:  Still two because the other members went back to school, studying, so time brought more issues.

STREET POKAZ DOING WHAT THEY DO BEST

What have you achieved with Pokaz Crew?

BBOY SHADOW:  Had a great experience and still doing great things because I don’t regret for a single moment having the crew. This is the best family a dancer would die to have.

STREET POKAZ SWAG TURNT UP

*shaking my head in agreement* Great crews make great families. How did you join Sisko?

BBOY SHADOW:  I guess they saw the hard work we were putting in Dance; saw us appreciating and taking dance as a career.

True you do! Are you in Sisko With Daves?

BBOY SHADOW:  Yeah we in together. The inseparable twins (laughs Loudly)

How has it helped you working with Sisko?

BBOY SHADOW:  It’s been overwhelmingly educative. They respond whenever you need advice. It’s been great.

 Creative Cooks?

BBOY SHADOW:  it’s a crew made up of members from different places formed to create dances. They are a team of creatives in dance.

Aaah so you gather dancers from crews in different places to form a crew?

BBOY SHADOW:  Yeah we work together and I teach them.

Cool.Are You in the Kenya Team?

BBOY SHADOW:  *obviously excited*     That’s like the best place to be. Bboy full time man. It’s crazy. 

BBOY SHADOW AT THE BREAKFAST JAM IN UGANDA(PIC COURTESY OF KIBUUKA PHOTOGRAPHY)

When did you join?

BBOY SHADOW:  I was there when they created and came up with the name Team Kenya.

For the two times you have gone to Uganda, how has been the experience?

BBOY SHADOW:  Way beyond my imagination. Getting to exchange ideas, knowledge and  seeing how Uganda appreciates their hip-hop culture made me feel like shifting from Kenya to Uganda.

What Is the one big difference between the Kenyan and Ugandan Dance scene?

BBOY SHADOW:  I terms of bboy, they are way advanced. They have a good working foundation that we are lacking.

The first time I saw you were in breaksession battling and I thought you had a great future. How was that?

BBOY SHADOW:  still working day and night bro.

BBOY SHADOW: ON THAT FLARE

Yeah, you have been absent for a very long time .What was up?

BBOY SHADOW:  Working on my graduation. I’m in a dance company and am set to graduate in May. That’s what has kept me in the shadows.

Good news. Tell me more about the dance company?

BBOY SHADOW:  They work on different styles or elements like jazz, contemporary dancing, ballet, African modern and all that.

Where are they based?

BBOY SHADOW:  Pangani but they are shifting. The next intake is next year.

How did you get in?

BBOY SHADOW:  A friend introduced me to it and had to audition for the same.

Has it changed anything?

BBOY SHADOW:  I am now one dancer who can fit in any element of dance. I can settle in any style of dance easier than before because I have a lot of dance foundation in me.

BBOY SHADOW:ON THAT FREEZE

I respect that. So what else do you do besides dance?

BBOY SHADOW:  dance, dance and dance is a career for me and am earning good. Can’t complain.

That’s more than many dancers can say about dance. What are we doing wrong?

BBOY SHADOW:  A lot of dancers don’t know what path to follow. Some quit but as long as you have the right direction based on what you want, you can never go wrong. Trust me.

Simple and precise. This is inevitable…Are you dating?

BBOY SHADOW:  yes. She really supports me a lot in what I do.

That’s awesome man. Everybody needs a proper support system. So what’s your plan for 2014?

BBOY SHADOW:  Teach dance to as many people and crews as possible. Do a lot of choreographies, videos and in the long run try to effect change you know….

Spoken like the real hero you are. We wish you all the best. Any last words?

BBOY SHADOW:  Yeah thanks bro for the interview and remember that the only person you battle in life is yourself.

That I will never forget . This is was great and I really learnt a lot. Thank you.

BBOY SHADOW: AIMING HIGHER