When he moves, no one knows he’s deaf

Elvis Kubania watches his friends dance for three minutes.

Then like the others in the group, he slowly starts snapping his fingers and nodding to the beat.

He counts one, two, three in his head. He shifts his weight to one foot and raises the other.

And like the rest of the Alpha Dancers Crew, he breaks into freestyle dance — throwing his hands in the air and shaking his torso and bottom in perfect synchrony.

For the more than 20 minutes of musical action, nothing makes Elvis different from the rest of the dancers practising new dance moves at Nteere Park in Meru Town.

It is during break that we realize the 19-year-old from Muringombugi village in Meru is talented differently: He can neither hear nor understand the sound of music but he is a very good dancer.

And Elvis is mute as well.

“I realised my son had hearing impairment when he was three years old. I was informed by the house help who noticed that when she tried calling him he did not respond and did not even act as if he heard any sound,” said Delfine Kananu, Elvis’ mother.

Elvis attended Kaaga Primary School for the Deaf and later joined Murang’a School for the Deaf for his secondary education. But his studies were cut short after bedbugs infested the school in 2005.

“The students were sent home when he was in Form Two. Afterwards, he did not want to go back, probably from the trauma and the fear that it would happen again,” says Delfine, who is also a teacher in Meru.

To avoid boredom, Elvis spent most of his time with other deaf friends in Meru Town where he met the Alpha Dancers Crew and joined them.

“We were part of a promotion campaign that involved dancing. When we made a stop in front of Uchumi Supermarket, the MC called upon willing members of the crowd to join in a dance and get awards. Elvis got up to the podium and danced very well,” says Ronnie Mutethia, the founder of Alpha Dancers Crew based in Meru.

After the performance, Ronnie says Elvis followed them, but they could not understand what he wanted.

He showed up for all their training sessions at Nteere Park until they admitted him to the group.

 “We tried talking to him and asking him questions, but he did not respond to any of them. That is when we realised he is deaf and cannot talk. We just took his phone number and sent him messages about the group requirements,” says Ronnie.

He complied and since then, he turns up early for practice.

BEST DANCER

Collins Mugambi, 15, says although Elvis cannot speak or hear, he is one of the best dancers in their group.

The members mostly communicate to him in writing and SMSs. Besides dancing, Elvis has been instrumental in helping Alpha Dancers come up with novel dancing styles.

“He is very creative when it comes to new moves. Once he shows us a new move, we simply fit it to the beat by giving it the correct pace,” says Ronnie.

“My parents are happy with my dancing. They know it is my talent and they are ready to help me become a professional dancer,” Elvis writes.

They are looking for a school to help their son achieve his dream.

“It is my joy to see my son dancing. I am looking for other avenues to help him exploit his talent better,” says father Charles Kathurima.

“I know I will make it as a dancer despite my impairment. I did not choose to be deaf. It cannot prevent me from achieving my dream,” says Elvis.