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Arts Reporters
Dancer Ashlee Nyathi has bright hopes for the local arts industry. After failing to make it due to various bottlenecks, the artiste has decided to promote the art on a larger scale.

Nyathi joined a talent search competition when he was a teenager, but his exploits got more frustrations than satisfactions.

He had to quit dancing for another profession.

“We tried our luck at Zim Talent but we failed to make it. I believe we were good dancers, but the attention was mainly focused on music. There was nothing much we could do as dancers and I ended up looking for other avenues,” said Nyathi.

“As a break-dancer, I wanted people to get another side of our story. We tried to sell our art to people and it seemed as if they were not open to our style. I had to look to other avenues to make a living. I believe dance is not yet well appreciated in the country.”

The dancer, who went by the moniker Kyan4Real, made his name at Ellis Robins school where he won several competitions.

His dream for taking the art further suffered a huge blow when he went tried his art in talent search competitions.

“There are many people that tried to pursue dancing as a career, but I believe they were frustrated. I am one of them and I am glad that I will work on something to promote the dance industry.

“I am now running a company called MagProm Trading that has interests in fishery. It has been my consolation, but I have not stopped dancing. I might not be a professional dancer but I will keep on supporting dance in the country.

“I am grateful to orgnaisations like Jibilika that have made a mark in taking our type of dance to another level. I know a lot can be done to promote our industry. I am willing to promote this art and show the world that contemporary dance is a serious industry.”