G-cleff
We all love how this people work magic on our flashy stages
and how they appear on our music videos all psyched up and dressed up in all
the trendy new fashion. But have you ever wondered what this dancers go through
in their day to day life? One of the best dance crew in Mombasa opened up to us
on how it’s like to be a dancer.
G-Cleff dancing group started way back in 2007 as young
talented students from Tudor Day Boys decided to explore their talent while in
school. When the group was started by Stanley Obenjo who is currently in Sweden
as a choreographer and Mark who is in Switzerland as an artist and a musician,
they had managed to initiate six more members in the group. The group
represented their school in dancing competitions around the county and attended
events.
G-cleff
is one of the few groups that support talent as the group runs on a
generational basis in such a case that old members leave the group leaving one
experienced member and start their own
dancing group while that remaining member mentor other young members to
keep the group moving. G-cleff does not only focus on dancing but also deals
with football, artists, acrobats, fashion and design and photographers it is a
great platform that a youth can use to develop their talents.
Currently
the group consist of more than 15 members both male and female who have managed
to keep the group alive. This dancing group have had several achievements since
the group was formed. Some of the awards include the Coast awards winners 3
consecutive years 2011-2013, Zumari awards twice, and they have also participated
in the dancing competition show Sakata being finalist in the year 2013. The
group was able to acquire a contract from AHF after emerging the best dancing
group in the coast region.
According to Bildad, the
current leader of the group dancing has been their passion and their source of
income. The group performs on events, video shoots, weddings and also in
birthday parties for a substantial fee. Through this income generating
activities the group is able to give back to the society through visiting orphanages
and performing for free during the outreach courses and its able to pay their
members.
The group has challenges too, as b-boy scrappy one of the
members opened up to us that, some of their parents are not in support of what
they are doing which leads to withdrawal of some members. The group is also
challenged in terms of practicing area they don’t have a place to go on about
with their practicing sessions, Kevin Step added that they lack funds to keep
on expanding the group as their goal is to reach the international level but
they can’t reach there until they are done with the national level. The group
is looking up to Brotherhood one of the best dance crew in the US and Super
crew based in the US too.
Salute to the dancers and what they do as we have seen it
takes a lot for one to decide to follow their dreams and to make their talent a
full time job.
Interview by Mourine Togom
Photography Arise Art Photography
Editor Mombasa Twilight
