When I first arrived in Kenya I had some serious plans to explore and deep dive into the many local scenes that can be found here. I had been sold dreams of Nairobi's vibrant music scenes, vivid arts hot spots and enchanting dance hubs.
Covid, understandably, put a damper in these plans but one person in my life was determined to make sure my time here was not wasted,Anne Angermann (appropriately dubbed AdventureAnne). With her being an avid dancer she was quick to search high and low for the best dance classes in Kenya to join. This searched landed her on Empire Dance Kenya, a unique collections of dance instructors who offer high energy afro and hip hop dance classes to locals, expats and international visitors looking to tear it up like a pro.
Admittedly, I was initially hesitant to join one of these classes (what with my lockdown exacerbated lack of fitness), I opted week after week to rather observe from a distance. But these guys were great and I really wanted to share this with everyone so when the opportunity came to film a video with them I had to take it.
Here Is YOUR BONUS VIDEO !!!
We found a picturesque rooftop location and made a day of filming some of their original choreographies. Starting with this edgy piece to Tory Lanez -"Most High" .
It should be noted these guys are no small fries. They choreograph and dance in some of the big local events and work with some amazing local musician. Their level of talent was clearly evident in their effortless moves.
While the lighting was good, we stole the opportunity to film another amazing choreography with a solo lead from Anne. It was an amazing collaboration of two worlds. Anne is a talented trained dancer from Germany and in this piece added, an elegant touch to contrast the boys moves . The dance was to Tarrus Riley - "Lighter" ft. Shenseea, Rvssian
The whole experience was an amazing quick introduction to some of what, I imagine, is just the tip of the iceberg of a vibrant local dance scene.
If you are interested in finding out more about Empire Dance Kenya please do reach out to them on Instagram.
They not only offer dance lessons but also organise local dance themed adventure tours where you can go out for a full days hike and dance against a backdrop of one Kenya's many breathtaking landscapes. They also offer some great merchandise.
Take some time to follow Anne on instagram ( @ag_anne ) as she travels the world dancing and learning new dance styles. You may even see some dance videos with me in it, so be prepared to laugh ;)
Lastly don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell on my Youtube page for more travel, music and exciting adventure content.
Tumi Mothei
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