When creativity is inherited from a line of creative forebears, the works of that artist appear to be magical. That expression best resonate in the leader of Adanta Cultural Troupe, Cherechi Benedeth Anigbo. The accomplished dancer and choreographer inherited her art from a long line of descendants and ever since, she has proven to a dance artiste to be respected.

Anigbo’s performance at the recently concluded Kreafrika Entrepreneurship and Financing in Cultural and Creative Industries Seminar, held in Nairobi, Kenya from November 20 to 24, 2023, seemed magical!
KreAfrika, in partnership with HEVA Fund, Campus AFD, and Senghor University, had extended an invitation to the dancer and choreographer, to attend the KreAfrika Nairobi Seminar.
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The summit is an innovative project targeting both existing and future professionals of the continent’s culture, creative industries (CCIs). It aims to bring public, private and associative actors of the sector together to discuss their professional practices and experience.

Through online training, networking and on-site seminars, the programme’s participants acquired new skills, built professional network and developed their projects. The seminar was also meant to provide participants with valuable insights and knowledge on various aspects related to entrepreneurship and financing in the cultural and creative industries.

Anigbo’s trip to Nairobi went beyond attending a seminar. She was there as Nigeria’s cultural and creative ambassador. The event provided her opportunity to express herself with dance. Adorned in her traditional Igbo Ishiagu (lion’s head) dress, she, elegantly, without stress, re-enacted in a brief moment, the very mesmerising steps for which she is popular on stage.

She danced to the irresistible African rhythm of the selected Igbo traditional music, which began with the ‘osukosu nwamkpi’ beat, then slightly hopping with her right leg, and then with her left in such a delicate manner, as though she was stepping on a soft, yet-to-solidify ground newly created by the gods.

The rhythm of the traditional music, accentuated by the soles of Anigbo’s shoes as she danced, was picked up by the audience from different cultural backgrounds. The audience clapped along. She swayed and leaped to the right, and then to the left in sync with the music. Finally, she squatted so low to the floor, coiling and uncoiling like a human spring in rhythm with the music. The audience roared in excitement. Photographers and camera men rush to capture the moment, both in videos and still pictures. At the end, she received a standing ovation.

Sharing her experience with The Guardian, she said: “I am grateful to Heva, AFD, and Senghor University for putting together such an incredible event. It was an absolute pleasure to meet and connect with such a diverse group of talented individuals from all over Africa. The week was packed with opportunities for networking, sharing experiences, and learning from one another.”

She continued, “I really liked the courses from seasoned facilitators. They were all incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the subjects, and I learned so much from them. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the event. Meeting talented creatives from different parts of Africa, sharing knowledge and experiences made me feel like I have not really done enough.”

The dancer-cum choreographer said the Nairobi seminar was also a tourism experience. “We visited GoDown Art Center; Alliance Française, Nairobi, where we watched concert; Santuri Studio, where we were introduced to DJing and music production; and BlackRyno Studio where we were taught about Artificial intelligence, Virtual reality and Augmented Reality,” she enthused.

Anigbo, from Enugu State, has always loved music and dancing. Her grandmother and mother were both leaders in their village’s cultural dance troupe. So, she grew up around dance. At the age of seven, she entered a dance competition and won. The elders were so impressed that they carried her on their shoulders, saying she was just like her grandmother. “My grandmother happens to be my ogbo (ọgba ka ogbo enwe) in my dialect,” she confessed.

When she became older and moved to Enugu City to continue her schooling, she would sneak out to go and dance with her friends during festivals. “We used cans of tomatoes as drums, and I pretended to be their teacher,” she said.
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At nine years old, she auditioned for the prestigious Ozulumba Cultural Troupe and got admitted. While in high school, she was cast in a music video by the famous Igbo musician, Patty Obasi.

Born February 20, 1990, between 1995 and 2001, she attended Obiagu Road Primary School, Enugu, before going to Praiseland Secondary School, Enugu, from 2002 to 2007.

She studied Cooperative Economics and Management in 2009 at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu.

From 2017 to 2020, she worked as a teacher at Bishop Okoye Memorial Girls Secondary School Ukpor, Anambra State. Between 2018 to 2019, she did a Post Graduate Diploma in Education at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

Today, Anigbo is the Artistic Director at Adanta Cultural Troupe, as well as Finance Officer of a private organisation in Southeast Nigeria.
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