Meet Jonathan Kudakwashe Daniel
Written by Tatenda KanengoniI first met Jonathan Kudakwashe Daniel in 2018 when he was completing the first year of his AfriKera Professional Dance Training. I remember how he coyly meshed…
A CUT ABOVE THE REST: AFRIKERA GRADUATE TAKUDZWA FELO
In October 2021, 21-year-old Takudzwa Felo sat on the AfriKera stage with his classmates clad in black robs to receive their Diplomas after successfully completing the 3-year Professional Dance Training Program.…
TINASHE ‘NANA’ CHIKU: “LEAD NOT WITH THE VOICE BUT WITH THE HEART.”
The AfriKera Dance Training Program ADPT. A ‘centre of excellence’ where dancers develop and master their craft. It also puts a spotlight on individuals with special inherent abilities. Viewed as a…
CHIDO CHIGARIRO- ‘I AM MY OWN PRODUCT, I AM SELLING MYSELF.’
In business, the sale is arguably the most important part of a transaction. Whether it’s cigars, coffee or your voice, the ability to find buyers for your product is invaluable.…
MILTON MAKONI: AN AFRIKERA GRADUATE, GRADUATES AGAIN
He suffered a broken ankle, had four litres of water pumped out of his lungs and completed four semesters worth of work in one year. Against all the odds Milton…
LOVEMORE TAONA: FROM CHINA WITH LOVE
High cost and slow transit times mean that few packages are shipped to Zimbabwe. So it was a surprise when a box from Xiamen City, Fujian Province arrived at the…
TAURAI CHIMINA: FROM PAS DE DEUX TO STEP-OVERS
Taurai Chimina is involved in a physical exercise, which requires spatial awareness, muscle activation and intense concentration. Is he dancing or playing football? Both. I sat down with the 28-year-old…
HONORING HER ROOTS: CATHERINE DOUGLAS ON FINDING PURPOSE THROUGH DANCE
For Catherine Douglas, extending her dance knowledge is like giving herself permission to be. Especially, when this is directed at female students. You feel it through her eyes. Diligently tracking…
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
For Samson Felo and his infant son Takudzwa, bonding time constituted dance rehearsals and performance trips during his tenure with famed Dance Company, Tumbuka. Little did he know that with…
MAKING MEN: BEHIND THE LENS WITH ANTOINE PANIER
It’s 3 p.m. at the BOZAR museum in Brussels, I’m sitting in the café with Making Men’s film director Antoine Panier. The noisy background drowns the mic on my iPhone, hampering…
Mcintosh Jerahuni on Identity and Decolonizing Bodies
AfriKera students gather in a corner and watch attentively, as Mcintosh Jerahuni takes them through their next steps. If you have an opportunity to witness the process behind dance instruction,…
IDENTITY, ART AND PUSHING BOUNDARIES: SHALOM KUFAKWATENZI UNDEFINED
Every once in a while, I sneak into the AfriKera dressing room, for some banter with the female students during their lunch break. We chuckle about their classes, making light…