Nantea Dance Company is a Tanzanian based non-profit contemporary dance company composed of Tanzanian freelance dance artists, founded in 2015 by Alawi Saidi Alawi and Samwel Japhet. The company provides multifaceted performances and community-based projects through dance; promoting and developing contemporary dance scene in Tanzania and inspiring youths in the society to became the ambassadors of development and social change.
Samwel Japhet is a Tanzanian dance artist, choreographer and art project manager and uses dance as artistic expression for story-telling. Samwel has always been fascinated with human relationships and human relation to the world. In his works he reflects on social issues and human experiences and creating a space for reflection, awareness and discussion. 2021 Prince Claus Seed Award Recipient from the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development. Co-managing UMOJA a multi-disciplinary artistic residency program intends to open up cultural dialogue between East African and European artists, as well as to promote gender balance and social cohesion through the arts in Tanzania. Graduated from the MUDA Africa Dance School in Tanzania. In 2015, he co-founded a Tanzanian based non-profit dance company (Nantea Dance Company). The company provides multifaceted performances and community-based projects through dance; promoting and developing contemporary dance scene in Tanzania, where he has been co-initiating projects and co-curating a bi-annual contemporary dance night event in Dar es Salaam, as a platform for young Tanzanian dance artists. Samwel has intensively been touring internationally: in The Netherlands, South Korea, France, Ethiopia, Latvia, USA, Mozambique, Belgium, South Africa, Sweden, UK, Burkina Faso, Germany, Portugal, Rwanda, Russia, Uganda and Kenya.
Irene Themistocles Ruyakingira, she is a performing artist and choreographer from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Irene uses dance as ultimate way to express and inspire people of any age and any background and she believes dance to be the most popular art form to create unity. She loves dance because it gives her the privilege to inspire and see growth in society, recently Irene and other prominent female dancers have joined together in founding Girls Power dance group for creating a genuine relationship sharing the passion of dance together. Irene has completed her dance & choreography studies from Muda Africa Dance school in Tanzania. Irene has been working with different choreographers and such as, Johannes Wieland (Germany), Ian Mwaisunga (Tanzania), Robert Ngoroma (Tanzania), Yolanda Gutierrez (Germany, Mexico), Julie Larisoa (Madagascar) Wesley Ruzibiza (Rwanda) Anna Bussey (Canada) Robert Guy (Norway/ England) Aida Colmenero Diaz (Spain/Senegal).