Intoxicating dance moves

GRACE GATHONI, 24, is renowned dancer who combines intoxicating moves with hypnotising gymnastics, leaving the audience mesmerised. KIUNDU WAWERU caught up with the determined woman who grew up in a children’s home

Watching you do those moves, one wonders whether you have any bone in you…

(She laughs) I am human just like you. It’s just that I have been doing it for many years.

How come?

My mother, a schoolteacher, loved dancing. I think I started imitating her when I was about three years old. When I was about eight years old, mum was hospitalised and I found myself living at a children’s home. While there, an acrobats and dance troupe from the Kenya National Theatre would come and train us. We would, sometimes, accompany them to professional dancing gigs besides entertaining tourists.

Are you comfortable telling us about your experiences at the children’s home?

I tell the story freely. Most people who grew up in shelters are ashamed of the fact. I am not because Pangani Lutheran Children’s Centre made me realise my talents at a young age, so much so I quit my first job after college to pursue dancing and music. Apart from talent, the home taught me humility and that despite your circumstances, you can make it in life.

At what point did you leave the home. Also tell us more about your education...

I was at Lutheran until 2003 when I was in Class Eight. I then joined St Tito Girls’ High School, Kiambu and later pursued Tourism Studies at the East Africa School of Aviation.

Back to dancing. You have unique moves that get the audience excited and dancing. What informs your style?

My styles are informed by different genres of music. Unlike many dancers, I can dance to ragga, hip-hop, reggae, lingala and just about any genre. But I was not good in lingala until I joined the Rhythms Band where I trained.

That is Kanda King’s band, right?

(She nods). I am actually married to Kanda King.

What a combination, a dancing couple!

I would say a dancing family because our son Islam or Kanda Kid, who has been in the limelight, took to dancing from a young age. Ramadhan also, who is three years old, seems to have the moves. He cannot help it because we all train in the house. (Islam is ten years old and is Kanda’s son from a previous relationship).

You are also a musician. Tell us about it...

I started singing with the Rhythms Band as a background vocalist, and now I am the lead singer. Joining a band was deliberate. I knew I wanted to be a musician because in high school, I sang solo and competed to the national level in music festivals. Bands give you an edge when it comes to live performances, which I love. I had noticed that Kenyan musicians were not good at live performances.

How many singles or albums have you recorded?

I only have singles, starting with So Hot, which was produced in 2010. It was a collabo. Last year, I released Mapenzi Zero Percent, which is about why people with money fail to find love. The other single is Turn it Up. I also have a collabo, Tuwe na Amani, with Kanda King and Kanda Kid. This was as a result of a competition by the National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada).

Tell us about the live performances you do…

We get invited to different shows with the Rhythms Band. We also have weekly gigs in Thika on Wednesday at Club Leo’s and Saturday at Venus, Dagoretti. I do a solo gig on Friday’s at the Club Image, Thika.

Are you more of a dancer or a musician?

I think I am both. Dance and music are related and I love both.

What plans do you have for the future?

I plan to establish an entertainment-cum-tourism firm. My training in tourism was deliberate, as I know the incredible opportunities in the industry. My firm will be unique in that it will have both tour and entertainment packages. After visiting attraction sites, tourists like to be entertained and instead of outsourcing for entertainment, we can provide it.

Your word of advice to the young people…

To the girls especially, believe in yourselves and follow your hearts. If you find someone to support you, good. We all need mentors, but do not stand on anyone’s shadow and also do not seek shortcuts. Hard work and talent are your only best bets.