Iyke Bede
Acclaimed Nigerian dancer Kafayat Shafau, simply known as Kaffy, recently revealed the motive for producing her documentary ‘Dance Is Serious Business’.
The Guinness World Records holder told E-Trends that it was her way of preserving authentic African history and culture through storytelling to inspire a new generation of artists.
“We lose our history if we don’t tell our stories,” she explained. “I don’t want somebody from the West to come to tell the story of one African dancer. I am alive and I will tell that story. There’s no other time to do it than now.”
The documentary which was recently screened to a select audience at EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos, culminated in the marking of her 42nd birthday, where she further revealed that ‘DISB’ had been in the pipework for over a decade.
The documentary chronicles her climb through the entertainment industry and her influence in positioning dance as a well-respected profession, one that has so far served as the launchpad for the progression of the afrobeats genre to international markets.
It also explores other topics such as motherhood, separation from her husband, early family life, and gender bias in the dance space.
‘DISB’ features commentary from high-profile personalities like Ben Murray-Bruce, Joke Silva, Daddy Showkey, Gbenga Adeyinka, Jimmy Jatt, TY Mix, and Freeze.
The Imagneto Dance Company boss also hinted at a follow-up production, ‘The Rise of the Phoenix’.
