Dr Akas Nicholas, a senior lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is a core specialist in dancing and choreography with vast experience in dance sensitization. The aqua pile is also a renowned fellow who has touched lives through dancing, gives compelling advice on challenges and issues to dance lovers. Uchenna Ezeadigwe spoke to him as he barred his mind
Can you simply tell us about your profession ‘Dance?’
Dance is a vital movement with a time dedicated to meaningful gestures stemming from the soul’s need to reach out and express itself in an energy force beyond words. It is a form of entertainment. Certainly, dance has received a lot of accolades in our society and it is credited as a means of artistic expression which involves techniques, stamina, discipline and creativity. Though it could have different connotations but it’s intended to relay messages in different ways.
What kind of dance do you do?
People have this wrong perception about dance. Once you mention dance people think that once you move your body you are dancing. As a dance scholar I do every dance, call it contemporary, traditional African dance or the western dance or salsa and the rest of them. But in all these dance there must be one you have to be a specialist in. so I am a core specialist in semiotics. This is where you interpret body sign with dance. This has to do with traditional contemporary dance. African dance, so apart from that I do every other dance and I bet you I can do it comfortably without any fear.
Why did you choose this type of dance?
Well as a student, right from my primary school, then my mum will always say I started dancing in her stomach so it’s what I have been doing all my life. In the university those days I have many dancers in my class, but I am the only one that specializes in dance. Though, at my early stage in the university I did not like much of dancing as a career. I give thanks to my teacher and mentor Mr Patrick Okoye who frustrated me then. I call it frustration because others will go home and I will keep on rehearsing with them from there I gradually started to have passion for dance.
Also my mum who is an Onitsha woman is a great dancer so that was how the spirit of dance came into play. After my degree I told myself that this area in theater we have a few specialties or rather professionals, so I need to measure them so I took dance from Post graduate to Masters. Then at the Ph.D level I told myself I am an authority so let me move on. I am an authority in the theory and in the practical aspect when it comes to dance. In fact, dance has made my life pleasurable and I am determined to aspire higher.
Who inspires you in this type of entertainment?
Smiles, among my lecturers, two people inspired me, one is Prof Alex Asigbo. As a student then he was like a father, one very bad thing he always scolds me at is my bad handwriting. Prof Trace Utoezeaju is another big mother, I remember those days when she would tell me no matter how bad your writings are, you must complete your project.
When I became a lecturer, both of them told me that what makes me a good lecturer is not how many cloths you put on but to sit down and do the work, if you don’t write you perish. Another is Mr. Patrick Okoye, we call him ‘Energy’, he taught me dance in my undergraduate days. Aside my university, I started meeting other dance scholars, Professor Ojo Bakari who is the first professor in dance, Dr Arnold Udoka from Calabar and finally my mum who is also a good dancer.
How was your growing up like and how did your friends and family feel when you chose this path of dancing?
Growing up was not that easy, well I starting acting from church. Then my dad hated theater with passion. I remembered filling my jamb form up to three times because, he will always be around you with cane directing you first choice law, second choice mass communication. To him, he never sees anything coming out from the theater class. But thank God to my mum who believes that you allow someone to do what he wants to do. So if dad is shouting on me mum will be like, allow him do his own thing.
From there I joined many club groups in church and school. I had to write jamb couple of times and luckily there was supplementary and that was how I got into the university. Then my cousins made a great mockery of me. One of them will always abuse me that I am going to the university to learn a course where they only learn how to dance. One of my aunties once told me it is a useless course that I should go and learn something meaningful to do with myself. So it has not been easy with the ups and down in growing up. Even in inside the profession, those who do not understand much what it is all about will tell you, do you think you can make life out of this?. So growing wasn’t rosy but being steadfast and believing in myself I was able to get where I am today.
How long have you been doing this and what feat have you achieved so far?
Well, I have been a professional dancer for thirty six years and so I have been dancing all my life. I write dance scripts and also an ambassador to Nigerian Breweries where I anchor dancing programmes. I have carried out also choreography programmes with companies which has given me an experience beyond the comfort of my zone. Also dance has taken me to so many places which I know on a normal I shouldn’t be there.
I got a renowned fellowship in New York, another fellowship from the institute of advanced studies, University of Ife. I have equally done dance sensitization in schools and communities were we teach and inform people about dance. Learning is a continuous process and I must say that I have gathered much that have sustained me at this point in life.
As a dance expert, what challenges do you encounter in the course of teaching dance to students?
Every student thinks moving your body is dancing, yes I am not disputing that fact but then, at the professional level there is what we call ‘dance communication’ those in drama use spoken words but we in dance use our body to do that. Another thing again is that people think that if you’re a dancer you cannot make living out of it. It is not true; we have dancers who have earned greatly, example the likes of current commissioner in Ekiti state, Prof Ojo. Another thing again is that students are so lazy about it, some people run away from it because it is very stressful and it task your brain.
Apart from dancing as a profession, what other thing do you do for relation?
Ok, I write, I am a creative writer, poems stories, etc. swimming is also part of it, and most importantly I love anything that is good and once its good we keep rolling, smiles.
Finally what’s your advice for anyone who has the talents and passion for dancing?
Sorry to say this, Nigeria is not like the western countries where they discover your talent at the early stage, whatever you can do, do it and believe in yourself. Do not lose interest or look down on yourself. I am a living witness with so many ups and downs. People will make jest of you and all of that, just be focused with God by your side, one day you will be a SUCCESS.
“Every student thinks moving your body is dancing, yes I am not disputing that fact but then, at the professional level there is what we call ‘dance communication’ those in drama use spoken words but we in dance use our body to do that. Another thing again is that people think that if you’re a dancer you cannot make living out of it. It is not true; we have dancers who have earned greatly, example the likes of current commissioner in Ekiti state, Prof Ojo. Another thing again is that students are so lazy about it, some people run away from it because it is very stressful and it task your brain. Sorry to say this, Nigeria is not like the western countries where they discover your talent at the early stage, whatever you can do, do it and believe in yourself. Do not lose interest or look down on yourself. I am a living witness with so many ups and downs. People will make jest of you and all of that, just be focused with God by your side, one day you will be a success.”
