Today we’d like to introduce you to Kemi OG.
Kemi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey with Afrodance started with a promise not to forget how to dance makossa. It was this popular move in Nigeria at the time, never mind that the move was actually Congolese and makossa was a completely different dance style from Cameroon. We didn’t care, we were kids and it was the latest move to master. I would always revert to it whenever Premier Gaou by Magic system came on and personally, it was a finishing move when it came to dancing competitions. I spent so much time trying to get my waist and legs right that when the news came that we were moving to the United States (after I had mastered the move enough to win a few dance champion titles at the birthday parties) I promised that I would not forget the feeling of that move and by extension, I wouldn’t forget the girl who was addicted to suya, drank la-casera like water, and was addicted to moving to music.
Growing up in the United States was both a blessing and a challenge. I was fortunate to attend great schools thanks to my parents, but at the same time struggled to assimilate in predominantly white institutions that did not understand my “cultural quirks.” I gravitated to African music, dance and food: anything that would remind me of home and made me feel like I wasn’t losing myself. I would search the internet for the latest singles, and youtube became a gold mine of inspiration and learning. I watched dancers like Jessy Matador, Bana C4, and CEO Dancers or music videos from Awilo Longomba, Koffi Olomide and Angelique Kidjo until I could not listen to music without visualizing movement. I have not stopped choreographing since.
While in college, I spent a lot of my extracurricular time incorporating my “Africaness” into everything I did. I would sneak a Tekno or Patoranking song during Zumba classes while teaching. Eventually, it got so excessive that I created an Afro dance fitness program instead. I danced with a team for four years, which really helped: it was impossible to study with any music, and dance breaks alone were excessive. For every 3 hours of learning with music, at least 20 minutes were spent daydreaming about dance moves and another 45 minutes testing steps in empty classrooms. I had the opportunity to explore creatively and experiment with my style and learn how to teach a diverse group of people with various skill levels and different relationships with Afro culture.
One day, while I was a junior in college, a friend of mine and a fellow creative wanted to merge Afro dance with media and animation in a performance. He had an idea of “TV ladies,” projections of choreography that would integrate with a live performance on stage. We went to work choreographing different personalities and figuring out how that integration would work. Before then, my choreography was a series of moves and cool formations, but the piece H.S.K.T made me realize that Afro dance could be innovative not just by innovating dance moves, but in collaborations with other artistic mediums. It would also lead to another project a year later that would change the trajectory of my life and career.
“2 Sides of A Shadow”.
At the time I was overstressed and overworked, suffering from John Henryism, again in a predominantly white institution that was known for being academically rigorous. 2 sides of a shadow forced me to come to terms with my strengths and weaknesses and gave me space to heal through the creative process. Moreover, the feedback that I got from audience members after the performance created even more impact for me. Since middle school, I always participated in diversity initiatives in organizations, as a way to contribute to diverse spaces in the institutions that I worked or learned in. We knew that storytelling was a powerful source of challenging the mentalities that bred misunderstanding and hate. But the idea that my piece could challenge an audience’s mindsets was new to me. More so, that cultural movement could be a catalyst for someone to heal. 2 Sides of A Shadow led me to consider dance as a career because for the first time I felt I could actually make a real impact through work in a way that was authentically, me.
Since then, I’ve worked professionally with a few Afro artists, toured nationally and taught public classes maintaining that spirit of “2 Sides of a Shadow”. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many dancers across the globe who are now treasured colleagues. Afrodance has had a beautiful way of exposing me to the world and challenging my views and ideas. Today, I’m proud to say I haven’t forgotten how to dance “makossa” but it can never beat the nostalgic version in my mind. I’ve learned more about the continent and its forms of movement. It’s a humbling experience that creates this insatiable appetite for more, and as a perpetual student, I intend to keep learning for a long time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in the Afro dance industry like any other has its pros and cons. It can be exciting, and there are a lot of real opportunities to carve a name for oneself and to distinguish oneself as a unique artist. However, there are still a lot of challenges that would discourage anyone from considering it a long-term career. From time to time you hear the “exploitation story,” the “they didn’t credit me for my work” story, the “ I didn’t get paid what I was promised.” Story. I suffer burnout trying to pull resources to create work and sometimes I do question whether leaving the community is a wise choice. But I’m hopeful. Challenges breed lessons that create smooth sailing second attempts. It has been a learning curve, but at the same time, my growth as a creative entrepreneur has increased by leaps and bounds since becoming a full-time artist. As much as I cry through the hard times, I’m still grateful, but with steel resolve to ensure that the people after me don’t have to struggle as much.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work as a dance instructor, dance artist/choreographer, and creative director. As a dance instructor, I teach history culture and techniques of different styles of Afrodance. I teach at the Institute of Contemporary Dance and often work with organizations and companies across the nation spreading culture and community through dance. As a dance artist and choreographer, I specialize in Afrodance fusion which is a mixture of the Afrodance styles I teach. I’m inspired heavily by cultural symbolism and community experiences so often my work becomes a commentary of everyday life and social issues. As a creative director, I work with other artists and creatives to create complex artistic work that represents all of us. We’re currently working on this idea called the Moments project which takes the creative process and uses it to create highly collaborative artistic work but also brings value to artists and creatives contributing to it. I’m most proud of having the courage to chase my crazy ideas regardless of the obstacles. I gladly do not live with much regret because of this. What sets me apart is my love and respect for the African diaspora: its diversity of people and its diversity of culture. I consider myself a perpetual student, and each project gives me a chance to learn more about my colleagues, other cultures, other experiences. It’s a dose of inspiration, creativity, and humility in one go, and that is a content space for me.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Social media has always played a major role in how Afrodance is consumed, interpreted, taught, and shared. During the pandemic, we saw how social media played a role in allowing dancers regardless of the geographical location to connect, interact, and teach with people across the globe. Alongside the rise of Afrobeats globally, more people are starting to pay attention to the dance styles. I think we’re going to see more dance professions pop up in Afrodance. In a lot of ways, it is still a new industry, so there will be a development of institutions that make it more easily accessible and provide more resources to professionals and students. I think the standard in the Afrodance industry will increase just from conversations people are having about the challenges in the community and how a lot of dancers are becoming more vocal about what they will or will not tolerate as professionals.
Contact Info:
- Email: kemiodance@gmail.com
- Website: ilubeats.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kemi.og/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shegesquad
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kemi_og
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqxpXPDhCYYeRzr7E4YFFpw
- Other: www.ogcreatives.com
Image Credits
@walestudio
Shardé Chapman
