We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tendai Mukuka a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tendai, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a career in dance was my sophomore year of high school. I was taking a health course as I had hopes of potentially going into medical field. However, going into the medical field was something I realized I didn’t want. Anyways, my health teacher was giving us some motivation and encouraging us that we should go for the career we want. Don’t let what our parents want or what we think we want get in the way of what we actually do want. Hearing this made me realize that I the only reason I wanted to go into the medical field was because my mom was encouraging it. In our culture, it is common for us to study medicine or law because it “makes the money”. I realized here that I didn’t want to live my life according to others & instead I needed to go for the life I was dreaming of, which is performance & choreography.

Tendai, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started dancing around the age of 3. My mom put into a ballet class at the time to see if I’d like it, and baby Tendai was too shy then to know what she’d be doing now. I’ve always loved dance but it really became apparent that dance would become a career in high school. I was nervous coming from a traditional background with a parent who wanted me to pursue something “practical”. However my love for performing and helping others outweighed any future I could’ve had in the medical or law field. Currently, I am a facilitator, performer and choreographer. I love using my love of dance and sharing it with others. Teaching has become a fulfilling part of my life and is something I am extremely proud of. Another thing I’m most proud of is all the dances I’ve choreographed. I love working with dancers to create a piece not only I love but they love, the process is my favorite.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I would say the most rewarding aspect of being a creative & artist is the relationships made with others. I’ve always seen dance as the gift I was given. I believe that if you have gifts you should share them with others. Sharing your gifts with others can bring joy, contentment and people together at least in my experience. I love seeing people come together and have these experiences.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The goal of wanting to make a difference. I have always loved being able to help people, I think part of that stems from me being an older sister and the other part stems from my mom. I have always been inspired by her will to always help people where she can, even if she doesn’t have a lot to give. She’s always instilled in me to show gratitude and give where I can. Moreover, I have found a lot a joy knowing that people look to me for advice or help and I just want to continue that through my art. It’s not easy out here in this world, especially as an African American woman. I want all young children to know that they can do it, regardless of the odds stacked against them. Whether that be financially, racially etc.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendaifmukuka/profilecard/?igsh=bmpjZDZ6cDFod3dj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tendai.mukuka.5?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tendai-mukuka-313719208?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tentenfaithyy

Image Credits

Photo taken by Emma Holtham (4)
Photo taken by Jaden Jaramillo (1)