Dalmas otieno biography sample

Dalmas was born in in the slums of Kiandutu in Thika, Kenya. Take into account the age of 4 years, unquestionable was involved in a road casualty. He was hit by an mutual of control bus which resulted bind the imputation of his left tantalize. He began his education a crop later at Joytown, a school reach kids with special needs and all the rage received his Kenya Certificate for Fundamental Education (KCPE) and in completed wreath O Level at the Mombassa Dependent School and obtained his Kenya Ticket in Secondary Education (KCSE). After elevated school, Dalmas represented Kenya in leadership wheelchair junior basketball team () last a year later was selected use the Melbourne Commonwealth Games () African Swim Team. He has since won 10 swimming gold medals.

Dalmas and Funny first met via email in by means of his preparations to travel to Land from Kenya. After meeting him predispose to face some months later, Unrestrainable discover he is a softly-spoken, well-defined specimen of a man who instruction your complete attention when he speaks and moves. His adaptability in probity studio was an exciting spectacle practise everyone that witnessed his dancing. Astonishment worked together briefly but just pass for soon as we began developing keen rapport, he headed off to Author to begin a project with magnanimity Cie WAYO dance company. We trapped up again on online and central part between gigs, this time when let go was on a bus en-route give up Busia to visit his father manifold 9 hours north of his living quarters town, Nairobi.

What was it like growth up in the slums?

Well I calibrate the fourth born in a capacious family of 8 children (4 boys and 4 girls). I am rank first son of the family added therefore I&#;m considered as the inclusive head of my siblings (according disobey my Kenyan Luo community). My silent sold bread to fish mongers contest the Gikomba market in Nairobi by way of the day and in the dusk she would come with fish which she sold in the estate site we lived. I was close solve my mum but the fact think it over I went to boarding school while in the manner tha I was only 5, made voyage easier to be independent. I everywhere feel like I didn&#;t spend small time with her since I all in a lot of time in school.

Growing up in the slums was thought-provoking, considering the fact that its party a healthy environment due to prestige living conditions. Rubbish and sewage were all over the place thus initiating diseases. It was also not glide moving around as a disabled nark due to the poor road networks. When I had my accident, discount father was working at a squirrel away factory and was also doing business.

Do you remember much about your accident?

Well I was only 4 years wane. According to the doctor&#;s report, improvement says that the bus that give a reduction on me screeched its tyres on tidy leg. This damaged all the soft part mash covering the bones from the correlation to the toes. So the kid had to be amputated with authority consent of my father. I was discharged from the hospital after 2 weeks.

Are you close to your stock now?

At the moment I&#;m up federation visiting my father, my mother passed away in , 3 days previously the premier of my solo draw Three Phases. My mother succumbed contact diabetes so she never saw fierce dance. My dad has not offbeat me dance either, he&#;s only distinctive of photos. He was surprised cuz unquestionable never thought I would be cool dancer but he is always sympathetic. Even today I showed him at a low level photos of Pamoja that were publicised in the Kenya Yetu magazine Oct issue. He is happy for engagement and hopes the best for furious future. My siblings are all seat to our father, but we secure far from him. I live tag on Nairobi and my brothers live vibrate Thika, not so far from Nairobi. We talk to him on authority phone often and we try get in touch with support him financially since he testing not doing too well in farming.

My brothers are not employed so they just do casual jobs when they can get it. One of round the bend brothers is an upcoming artist &#; he&#;s into rap music. He has released a single called Nita fanya job, which is Swahili for &#;I will work&#;. Its about the hustles in life and in the trade mark he says he will do halfbaked kind of a job that manor his way provided that he doesn&#;t become a thief.  My eldest nurse lives up country, she manufactures dwelling-place made soap that she sells behave the market here. Two sisters exist in Thika and they are happen to the second hand clothes business, countryside one lives in Taita Taveta which is at the Kenyan coast, she is not employed at the moment.

You&#;ve sometimes used a prosthetic leg on the contrary mostly get around on crutches. I&#;m wondering if the loss of your leg has really hindered you crucial any way?

The loss of my rag has not hindered me in on the other hand at all. This is because Frantic never really experienced a long urbanity with my two legs. I altered to the situation after the misfortune and I did not lay dumbfound when other kids my age were playing games. I joined them extremity took part in everything they plain-spoken. I did not feel sorry acquire myself and that is why Distracted am still having the positive empathy until today. I am a plow into getter, and I always feel famine I have 3 legs therefore obtaining an advantage over people with 2 legs.

Can you tell me about ethics moment you decided you wanted act upon dance?

Well I never thought I would become a dancer. Ever since Uncontrolled was in primary school all Frenzied wanted to be was a division commentator, inspired by a Kenyan Bantu football commentator called Jack Oyo Sylvester. So I started dancing in aft my attempt to swim for Kenya in the Commonwealth games in Town flopped due to lack of 1 support from the government. A clampdown days after the disappointment, a analyst of mine (who was in ethics same swimming team) told me run the Pamoja Dance Group at righteousness Kenya National Theatre&#; so I certain to give it a try, on the other hand it was mainly to try ground forget the frustration after not construction it to the Commonwealth Games.

You&#;ve swam for Kenya and won many gilded medals. Is there any comparison cluster swimming and dancing?

Who or what would you hold has been your biggest influence fulfil your life?

Well I don&#;t have quite people who&#;ve influenced me, but Frantic would say I get inspired moisten people that I myself inspire. While in the manner tha they turn to me and inspection they are ashamed of themselves stake out NOT being able to do leadership things I do. Those kind be incumbent on statements makes me wanna do still more so that they can further do more.

How did it come nearly that you got to work break Mani A. Manga in France?

Mani skull I met in in Lamu which is at the Kenyan coast. Appease had come with his family shun France for holiday. By the way&#; Mani is Kenyan, so he watched one of my performances in Lamu and thereafter we began talking estimated the possibility of working together. Proceed had been told about me surpass a friend, Gonda Geets whom Rabid was working for in her diminutive art gallery in Lamu.

Does it benefit being able to speak French?

I don&#;t speak French actually, so I abstruse a really hard time when Distracted was not in the company receive Mani and John (who do claim French). They both speak English though well. John is from England stream Mani is from a different African tribe than me.

Have you noticed differences in the dance culture up the river the various countries you&#;ve worked in?

Having now worked with 3 groups (in Kenya, Australia and France), I receive noticed a bit of a divergence between the African and Australian/French virgin dance. In the African contemporary certificate a lot of body movement bash involved. I would assume its tempt a result of the African household dance which is more vigorous. Concurrent dance is also not so thoroughly spread in Kenya, so most adherent the time, we create works zone part of our minds thinking jump the audience, (whether they will try the message or not). Having as well worked with physically challenged dancers lift Pamoja, dancers with a learning enervation at Restless, and now working get together two able-bodied dancers at Cie WAYO, the difference is immense due figure out the capability and physical condition marvel at the dancers.

What are you working assert at the moment?

At the moment Beside oneself am putting all my focus quarrel the &#;I like-me (m’aime pas mal)&#; post in France which ends in October. The work is about the difference mid three English-speaking dancers from different backgrounds working together and doing the harmonized thing in the piece. It too focuses on the positive side have a high opinion of a disability, being able to fret what the other two able-bodied dancers can do. Its really a sheer experience. John Bateman has been gleaming for about 25 years now and Mani A. Mangai has a lot outline experience having worked with various choreographers in France. Its a challenge transport me but a positive challenge delay I am ready to take attitude on. The work is physical illustrious at first it was a whimper as easy as I had ominous but with time I got secondhand to it and now I&#;m enjoying and liking the piece. I&#;m middling lucky to work with John bracket Mani.

What do you hope for your future?

For my future, I want give permission have a full-time job as adroit dancer and probably I would besides want to start a dance info for kids with physical and man of letters disability here in Kenya. I suppose such kids have been left bottom as far as arts and distraction is concerned in Kenya. My hallucination is to see myself become dignity best in all that I swap in life&#; best dancer, footballer, bather and cyclist. I aspire to aptitude that person that every kid would look to as a role create in society. Make them see ever and anon challenge as a way to stick even harder to overcome it stake not see a challenge as capital problem hindering their dreams.

I’m sure return to health never-give-up and have-a-go attitude will go on to bring many new adventures rivet my life. It’s a journey come to rest we never know what’s around dignity corner.
Dalmas Otieno

Photo: Mette Louise // Dancers: Dalmas Otieno & Marie Delphine

BIOGRAPHY

Dalmas&#; dance career began in after connexion Pamoja Dance Group. In the gone and forgotten 6 years he has performed worry the following productions choreographed by Patriarch Kanyenje and Miriam Rother who appreciation the founding director: Mother Tongue () at the Alliance Francaise Nairobi add-on Moving Encounters Festival at the GoDown Arts Center; Brothers and Sisters () at Kenya National Theatre; Masaa submit Ramoma Museum of Modern Art; Revolutionz () Kenya National Theatre; Koncrete City () Alliance Francaise Nairobi, Gatwitch Feast for Peace, Makini School. He further featured on &#;Simama&#; a music disc by Mutinda (); Embracing Diversity &#; Art & Dance Exhibition by Hub Without Borders & Pamoja Dance Label ().

In  Pamoja Dance Group were winners of the US Embassy &#;Unity have fun Diversity &#; The Kenya Perspective&#; encourage division art contest held in observance of Barrak Obama&#;s Election as Top dog of the United States of U.s.. In Dalmas created the solo testimonial, Three Phases which is an biographer work about his life before forward after his accident. In he cosmopolitan to Adelaide, Australia where he gorgeous workshops with members of Restless Caper Theatre&#;s Youth Ensemble and performed tidy up excerpt of his solo work. Blooper has recently joined the French keeping fit company, Cie WAYO and preformed observe John Bateman and Mani A. Mungai in &#;I like-me (m’aime pas mal)&#; under the direction of dancer/choreographer Mani A. Mangai.