Having noticed the activities youth engage in due to peer pressure and inactivity, such as, drug and alcohol use, Diane Gasaro yearned to change that. Gasaro, commonly known as Dakita, is a professional dancer and instructor who hopes to assist the youth in staying occupied and learning something new. “My aim was to help young people discover that they can learn new talents that can replace bad behaviour or even curb boredom and idleness. I wanted to introduce them to a new occupation and skill that they could not only enjoy, but also earn a living from,” she says. Since she didn’t know how to dance, she took an online course at Amizero, a local professional contemporary dance company. She is now skilled in afro-fusion dance. Afro-fusion dance is a mixed style with African steps from all around Africa. It combines inspirations from the Caribbean, African American, and African cultures. Experts say that afro-fusion has astonishing benefits that reduce stress, thus creating a great workout. The dance is known to enable one to feel the positive energy which helps to free emotions and escape from stress. “I started instructing in 2018, I would do gigs, and even practiced excessively to be better, and also to fulfil my dream of being one of the people to bring positive change in the lives of the youth. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a training venue,” she says. In 2019, she says that a thought crossed her mind, and she decided to meet and propose her idea to Hope Azeda, the founder and artistic director of Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company, a leading theatre company in Rwanda. Luckily, she let her offer dancing lessons from Mashirika’s hall. She couldn’t be happier. Gasaro started with a small number of dancers, but was able to post videos on social media that attracted more. For her, seeing young people devoted to learning and loving what they do, and unveiling talent makes her sleep a happy person. She explains that young people have been able to connect and learn from one another, but also, she has linked them to part-time jobs, a thing that earns them some money. One of the challenges she encounters is that dance is a timeless activity that involves discipline, attention, and dedication, however, most people lack these principles. For her, what it takes to be a good dancer is muscle memory, the ability to repeat through practice, the capability to work different parts of the body together, though it’s even easier when one has the enthusiasm and passion for the craft. “Being a good dancer starts from knowing the kind of dance you want to learn, then seeking guidance, it can be via watching how other dancers do in music videos, practice while seeing yourself in the mirror, and moving to the beat. Just like any skill, daily practice is necessary,” she says. The coach further notes that good dancers feel the music and express it in their moves. Adding that dancing should be fun as one needs to relax and put aside stress. Gasaro explains that having a goal you want to achieve as you dance makes one focus on the lessons, knowing that after a certain period, there is something you would like to showcase, achieve, and so forth. The dance instructor says to focus on things that inspire you to love dance because sometimes you might not be in the mood to dance. She also says that dancing can be one’s side business thus improving one’s income, in addition to connecting emotionally with other people, taking people away from their frustrations, relaxing their bodies and minds, and keeping them physically and mentally fit— and mostly, as entertainment. Her vision is to expand her work internationally, but also, create meet-ups with different dance instructors to learn more. The lessons start at 5:00 pm, every Friday.
