Dance Life Festival. It’s not just a Festival. It’s a movement: One stage. Every Genre. All soul.
Coming soon…. 4 – 6 July 2025. Dance Life Festival 2025 is set to electrify Nairobi, featuring over 30 professional dancers, 5 international acts, and a full weekend of movement and music.
Since its inception in 2020, Dance Life Festival has been amplifying Kenya’s dance scene, bringing together genres, cultures, and powerful stories told through rhythm and motion.
The Dance Life Festival was conceptualised by dancer-choreographer Adam Chienjo, with the support of Goethe Institut, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an aim to improve as well as promote dance in Kenya.
“Nyawawa” by Paul Muruiri onstage at Dance Life Festival 2024
“Nyawawa” by Paul Muruiri onstage at Dance Life Festival 2024A Festival, A Movement
Historically, dance in Kenya has not been very visible. There are not many supporting structures or opportunities for dancers to show their more conceptual work. The festival was conceived to serve as an annual platform showcasing the diversity and quality of dance in Nairobi.
Chienjo explained his vision for the festival:
A lot of dance things happen in Nairobi, and everyone has their own version of what dance in this city is. With this festival, I can do the work of linking dancers to other dancers, dancers to other choreographers, dancers to dance festivals, and dancers to audiences.”
Choreographing Change: The Visionary Behind Dance Life Festival
Chienjo himself entered the world of dance via breakdancing in Nairobi in the 1980s. His crew was inspired by pop culture films like Breaking and Beat Street. He has first hand experience of the challenges of forging a dance career without formal training.
Adam Chienjo, Founder Dance Life Festival | Photo by Mung’atu Wa Ndikwe.jpg
Chienjo initially danced in neighborhood groups and competitions. He then joined Safari Cats as a cabaret dancer, which was his first professional dance experience. Around 2002, he began taking contemporary dance classes with a France-based Kenyan choreographer who organized international workshops.
Through these exchanges, Chienjo transitioned from breaking and cabaret dancing to contemporary dance. He started touring internationally, collaborating with choreographers from Europe, Russia, and the United States, and eventually creating his own work. By 2005, he had also begun working with mixed-ability dance companies in Europe, further expanding his artistic range.
Regarding Dance Life Festival, Chienjo says,
“My role is to find the art in the dancers, and give it some guidance. I’m here to make it make sense, and try to achieve a balance in the genres of dance. I ensure all kinds of representation, from genres, to genders, to backgrounds. That is my role as the curator of the Dance Life Festival.”
What to Expect
Paul Muiruri’s piece Nyawawa on stage, Dance Life Festival 2024
In previous years Dance Life Festival has highlighted dance styles ranging from street to traditional roots and through contemporary, fostering global collaborations and featuring local legends. They have hosted international dance icons, amplified marginalized voices, bridged cultures through movement, and created space for every genre to shine.
This year, the 6th editiion of the Festival remains true to its vision. It maintains its commitment to diversity and inclusion, giving centre stage to a wide spectrum of choreographic voices with the deliberate inclusion of women choreographers, people with disability, and artists from indigenous communities. The line-up breaks down the silos in the professional dance community by including a dynamic mix of genres spanning from hip hop to ballet, contemporary to cultural dance, and everything in between.
Importantly, Dance Life Festival 2025 remains devoted to nurturing the next generation of professional performers through a series of community-based dance workshops (see below) in Kangemi, Kibera, and Jericho.These sessions are open to all and aim to equip emerging artists with technical skills, mentorship, and exposure to the world of professional dance.
Forward Dance Company performs Sule Sponde del Lago (DLF 2024) | Photo by Mung’atu Wa Ndikwe
The Line Up
This year’s program includes 9 bold dance-theatre performances of different genres, 2 artist talks, and 5 dance workshops – all contributing to a dynamic, city-wide celebration of dance in Nairobi. These include: Davilla Skynnor (Kenya), Pamoja Dance Group (Kenya), Dancing Feet (Kenya), Tony ‘Tosedo’ Aguko (Kenya), Rabia Ngwache (Tanzania), Friends of Hope (Uganda), Leadinho Ankh Chukrani (DRC), Alessandro Schiattarella (Switzerland) and Alan Alpenfelt (Switzerland). Keep an eye on iN NAIROBI as we highlight some of these performers in the coming weeks.
Excitingly, for the first time, the Festival will present a public, site-specific performance on the streets of Nairobi – at Hilton Square in Nairobi’s CBD, one of the city’s busiest pedestrian intersections. This intervention into public space is designed to broaden visibility, invite new audiences, and underscore the Festival’s commitment to cultural accessibility beyond conventional venues.
A Unique Musical Treat
Another highlight this year is a concert by Madou & Doucoura, an acclaimed acoustic trio from Mali led by griot master percussionist Djeli Mahamadou Kone. Djeli has toured globally for over 20 years with iconic artists like Habib Koité, Toumani Diabaté, and Bassekou Kouyaté. In their first East African performance, Madou & Doucoura will blend traditional Malian instruments (like the tamani, balafon, n’goni, and doundoun) with contemporary energy to deliver a captivating live music experience. This event is ticketed and there is limited availability. Get your ticket now on Mookh.
Whether you’re a seasoned dance aficionado or simply someone who wants to be moved — emotionally, spiritually, and physically — Dance Life Festival 2025 is where you need to be!
Ready to move with Dance Life Festival?
Visit www.dancelifefestival.com for RSVPs, workshop sign-ups, and more.
Follow @dancelifefestival and @in.nairobi on Instagram for real-time updates and behind-the-scenes moments.
Entry is free to the public to attend the dance performances, however, people are encouraged to RSVP at dancelifefestival.com to secure entry to the venue at the Kenya National Theatre.
Dance workshops:
Entry is free to the public for all the workshops below. You can find out more about the workshops on @dancelifefestival on Instagram and in our own WKND guides.
These are full-day workshops, scheduled for 9am-5pm on the dates indicated:
- Action to Creation Workshop – Led by Leadinho Ankh Chukrani at Kayole Social Hall (June 21st & 22nd)
- Fundamental Freedom Dance – Led by Charlotte Schioler at Artzone Studios, Baricho Road (June 27th)
- Mixed Ability Masterclass – Led by Alessandro Schiattarella at Goethe Institute Nairobi (July 3rd)
- Artist talks: More information about the artist talks will be shared in the days ahead on @dancelifefestival and @in.nairobi.
Let’s dance. Let’s connect. Let’s tell our stories — one step at a time.
Dance Life Festival is Supported by Visionary Partners: @africalia.belgium, @goetheinstitut_nairobi, @ticah.ke and @artzonestudios with Upstage Limited backing the vision.
