The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, through its Eko Culture Series initiative, and EbonyLife Place, recently drew attention of the populace to the importance of dancing and its ability to redirect the energy of the youths for productive engagement.
Speaking at the event, tagged “Eko Dance”, which is the fourth edition of the Eko Culture Series, held at Ebonylife Place, Victoria Island, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Solomon Bonu, said that the State Government decided to feature some of Nigeria’s most talented dance groups as a way of creating awareness about the importance of dance in Nigerian culture.
Bonu informed participants that apart from using the event to promote dance in the Nigerian culture, Eko Dance also served as a platform for some Lagos companies and beyond to showcase their ingenuity and creativity in the area of dancing.
“It is time for Nigerians to proudly embrace their cultural heritage as dancing is an important part of the Nigerian culture. Lagos State is a powerhouse of music and dance, from traditional to modern, and the home of so many outstanding creators in the field”, he added.
In her remarks, the CEO of EbonyLife Place, Mo Abudu, said, “We are proud to be hosting an event that brings dancers to the fore, and we are grateful for the expertise of Kaffy Shafau and her Imagneto Company in this area. I’m hoping that many of our talented young dancers will come and learn from her masterclass”.
While appreciating the partnership with the State Government, Mo Abudu disclosed that Lagos believes it is important to highlight every single aspect of culture and dance frequently overlooked or not given the needed attention.
Kaffy Shafau of Kaffy Imagneto Company, who conducted AfroDance Expression Masterclass for the participants, lauded the State Government and Ebonylife for staging the “Eko Dance” initiative, saying that dance in Nigeria had over the years been underrated.
Her words: “I am always happy to be here because I believe this country deserves a platform of expression; most of the negativity you are hearing all around is because there is too much energy, we need a place for that energy to go and if we don’t direct it, it goes to the wrong place”.
“Dance is underrated. This is a place where mental energy is expressed and diffused, a place where rehabilitation, reformation, networking and young kids can see other kids behave in a certain way because dance is a form of discipline. Dance can unite everybody”, she added.
Some of the dance groups that participated in the event, apart from Kaffy’s Imagneto Company, include Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture Dance Troupe, Leap of Dance, Magnets, Chrysolite Crew and Addicted to Dance.
