Meet the globetrotting dancer

On a cold July afternoon six years ago, Aggie Kiunga, then 19 years, walked into the Sarakasi Dome in Ngara, Nairobi, for an audition. She was ushered onto a small stage, facing a three-judge panel. A lingala song suddenly started playing - she does not think she has ever danced as vigorously as she did then.

“I danced my heart out, and when the song came to an end, all the judges were clapping. I had qualified to join the dance group at a trainee level. I don’t think that I was the best dancer they saw that day, but I was the most passionate and the one that enjoyed herself most,” she recalls.

At the time, Aggie was a third year student of Science and Biology at Kenyatta University. It was during the long holidays and she was looking for something to do with her time. Her earliest encounter with dance had been when she was a high school student at Mahiga Girls High School in Nyeri.

Before joining Sarakasi Dancers, Aggie, who describes herself as shy and antisocial, only danced to entertain herself and to fit in with her peers.

 “The next few weeks after that audition involved lots of training which caused a lot of body and joint pain,” she recalls.

The more she danced through the pain however, the easier it got and the more she fell in love with dancing. When it was time to go back to school, Aggie was not at all interested in resuming her studies.

“I had found myself. Dance was the only thing I wanted to do. In fact, I wondered why I hadn’t stumbled upon it earlier,” she says.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Her parents would not hear of it though. Perhaps because there wasn’t anyone else in the family who had pursued dance as a career, her parents felt she was making the wrong decision. She is the first born, and they felt like she was setting a bad example to her younger sister. They wanted her to complete her university education as it would, they felt, lead to a more ‘serious’ traditional career.

 After a lot of back and forth, Aggie agreed to go back to school on condition that she could keep dancing. Her parents reluctantly agreed.

“Even when I went back, I was sure that I wanted to spend the rest of my life dancing. I had however become aware that there were particular societal standards I needed to meet before I could be allowed to pursue my dance dream. I understood that whatever career path I wanted, the society needed me to get a university degree in a more traditional career first, so I completed my degree,” she says.

Once her dancing career took off though, her parent’s stance softened.

“They started to see dance as a viable career when they saw me on television and when I began travelling around the world. Today, they are my biggest supporters,” she says.

Six years in, at 25, Aggie has gone up the five dance levels to become a choreographer. From trainee, she went to intermediate stage, then senior dancer stage, senior-most dancer stage before becoming a dance trainer and choreographer. She is an all-round dancer who dances to various genres of music, ranging from reggae, hip hop to ballet. Sarakasi Trust, the group she is part of, is contracted for various entertainment jobs such as corporate dinners, weddings and stage performances. Dancing, she shares, also entails acting.

“I have been in at least 20 music videos by local artists. I have danced for Amos & Josh, papa Dennis, Nameless and Majirani, among others.”

Still, she says, she still puts in as much commitment and dedication today as she did at the beginning.

“Every work day for me begins with two hours of aerobics, a half hour of stretching followed by up to six hours of choreography,” she divulges.

When she is not dancing, she is listening to music. You can’t separate dance from music. Some people, she says, dance to the music while others dance to the beat. Either way, you have to love listening to music. Her favourite genres of music are lingala and reggae.

The world of dance has opened Aggie up to a whole new world. In the past five years, she has entertained countless international crowds with her dancing. Whenever she shares her talent and that contagious enthusiasm for dance that she has with her audience, she makes sure that she takes something with her. 

“I have been to all seven continents. My favourite destination so far has to be The Netherlands. The things that struck me about Amsterdam in particular was the romance. There are all these canals where people enjoy candle-lit boat rides. Nothing can beat that.”

Aggie also loved Nigeria because of the energy of their young people have.

“Everyone I met seemed so driven. Closer home in Uganda, what stole my heart was the food. It’s always a buffet for them at every meal. Each time I visit there, I am spoilt for choice.”

What could go wrong in a dancer’s career?

Many things could go wrong. The most frightening thing though is getting an injury. I have been lucky not to have suffered any major injuries. I twisted my fingers while dancing in Holland three years ago. I remember the first thing I felt was terror at the possibility that I might not be able to dance again. 

What are the most valuable traits of a dancer?

Many people are misguided to think that it is the skill. It isn’t. What every dancer needs is passion. To want to dance. Then you have to work out a lot, be dedicated and have perseverance. 

Is there an age limit for dancing?

Not at all. Even toddlers can dance. However, parental consent is required for the underage dancers. My oldest dance trainee is a 65-year-old man.

The average person dances to unwind. Since dancing is your job, how do you unwind?

 I love working with my hands. When I am not dancing, I draw. I also love singing. Right now I only sing in the confines of my home. I am still looking for the confidence to pursue singing professionally. It would be very fulfilling to be both a performing singer and dancer. 

Which is the one misconception about dance that you would like to change?

Many think that dance is something that people who failed at life do. The truth however is that dance is a highly paying art. It is my main job. It is paying my bills. It is what I am using to lay out a secure financial future. 

What has dance enabled you to do?

Because of my dancing, I have been able to travel the world. I have been to all the seven continents. Sampled tens of cultures. My dance skill has also given me the very rare chance of giving back to the society in form of mentorship. I am currently a mentor for the Blaze mentorship initiative. I love talking to young people, telling them my story. 

Where do you draw your strength from?

I gain most of my strength from the fact that I am alive. The fact that I am still healthy and that I can move. 

What is your ultimate goal?

 My daily goal, the one thing that wakes me up in the morning is the possibility that I may make someone else smile through dance. Ultimately though, I want to nurture talent while I am still young. I want to set up a school that will teach dance.