In an age where dance is still negatively stereotyped, Sean Mambwere’s successful career is testimony to the power of dance in creating employment and impacting  people.

A university graduate from the National University of Science and Technology with an Honors in Applied Mathematics, Sean is a multi-award winning hip hop and urban Afro dancer, and dance instructor at one of the largest studios in Zimbabwe, M’n’M Dance Factory.

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Having started his career with Rolx Dance Crew which won at numerous dance competitions including Jibilika, Undisputed and Zimbabwe’s Finest Dance Group – his undying passion for dance has seen him perform with Grammy Award winning artists, toured Germany,  China,  South Africa,  Botswana,  Malawi and Zambia and also teaching and conducting workshops.

The versatile creative has co-authored published books and articles about Art and Culture in a changing democratic society under Konrad Adenauer Shifting Foundation in 2014 which later took him on a tour of Germany.

Sean is a three time winner at the National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) for being Outstanding Choreographer, Outstanding Male Dancer and Outstanding Dance Group over 3 consecutive years (2014, 2015 and 2016).

Hardly a few months upon his return from a one year DreamStar mission in China, Mambwere has already hit the ground running and recently released on Youtube a first in a series of video dance programme titled I³DanceHub.

This is a custom-made, advanced and intensive dance choreography package.

Sean explained that the programme is specifically designed to take anyone interested in their dance skills set going to the next level, enrich their dance, pushing their creative envelope and mind, and building them up as an evolving, strong and dynamic dancers that are diverse and fully equipped.

Each season will have eight episodes plus a bonus ninth episode that tries to incorporate all dance elements learnt and covered in the previous eight episodes.

It is completed over five months with each episode covered over two workshops that are each an hour and 30 minutes long coupled with a season booklet detailing what the entire workshop is about for each episode and what’s going to be covered in each particular workshop, culminating in each workshop participant featuring in the official dance workshop video for each episode at the end for that episode and an official DVD release.

The project was born out of the love to share his creative skills and a shared vision with former dance mate turned videographer Romeo Chandiposha of Parable Films who embraced the idea and turned the motions into moving pictures.

Sean on the set of a dance video. PIC: COURTESY OF SEAN MAMBWERE
Sean on the set of a dance video. PIC: COURTESY OF SEAN MAMBWERE

The well shot and choreographed video features several great hip hop dancers who embraced the project. The video has since gone viral on social media hitting 4000 views on Facebook within the first three days of release.

“Zimbabwe has amazing talent that the world is looking for. I see it every time when I travel and get involved in other dance cultures. Our mindsets need to change to view ourselves as a dance community that has what it takes and has a lot to contribute and share to the global arts scape. So my goal is to help grow the dance community and bridge the gap in dancing levels”, said Mambwere.

His determination to achieve this goal has been evident in his personal sacrifice to self finance the production of the dance series which he hopes will have far reaching impact in helping those who do not have easy access to dance schools or studios.

Sean concedes that great work ethic, discipline, hard work and the hunger to learn dance and administrative skills have played dividend to his career which sustains his livelihood and has opened many doors for him.

An ecstatic Mambwere revealed his excitement on his current production with M’n’M Dance Factory which will premiere at HIFA.