Michael Kasaija comes of age
THIS name reigns high in circles of choreography. And Michael Kasaija it is. A big asset to performing arts, Michael has been around for quite some time, doing the rounds in break dance, Latino, African, Indian and all those dance types you have heard of, either hired to entertain or hired to coach.
By Nigel Nassar
THIS name reigns high in circles of choreography. And Michael Kasaija it is. A big asset to performing arts, Michael has been around for quite some time, doing the rounds in break dance, Latino, African, Indian and all those dance types you have heard of, either hired to entertain or hired to coach.
Dance is what pays the bills. In fact, Michael’s impulse is buying dance videos, which he watches as a pastime, only rivaled by one other pastime – gymnastics.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that because of his dance prowess, Michael recently landed himself a juicy job as manager of the Ebonies drama group.
Though Michael will not disclose the figure he gets, he says his salary is good, with “at least six zeroes. I am not complaining, at least not yet,†he says.
His job description is clear – to run any choreographic bits in all upcoming Ebonies’ plays, handle the administrative arm of the group, as well as help in the general production of plays. This deal he landed late last year when Ebonies director JW Ssembajjwe asked him in.
He had impressed Ssembajjwe while acting in and doing the choreography for Trials and Tribulations of Love, the ninth episode of the group’s Romantic Night series.
Michael has since been in two other Ebonies plays: Quandary Ndigida and Love, Lust, Lies and Revenge.
Some will remember him as the boy who started out break-dancing and miming at Busoga College, Mwiri and at Caltec Academy. At Makerere University, Michael juggled a business administration degree with choreography for inter-hall competitions and variety shows.
Meanwhile, artistes like Steve Jean continuously hired him to be his king dancer, an exposure that landed him a beauty called Pamela Basasirwaki, whom he started dating.
It turned out Pamela was a member of The Obsessions Dance Group, so she introduced him to the group and he was taken on instantly. Then along came another dancer with the group, the cute Natasha Sinayobye, who made Michael’s heart miss a beat. Pamela was to be no more.
Michael was to start dating Natasha, now mother of their five-year-old
son, Sean Mario. In fact, Michael and Natasha quit in 2005 and started their own performing arts management
company, KOMBAT, with a dance arm to it – the KOMBAT dancers. Today, most of the members that formed the group have moved on, like Blu*3’s Mya
among others.
Although we do not hear much of the name KOMBAT, at least we can still see our star Michael, who has along the way performed at top-notch functions like the M-Net Face of Africa contest.
But what he holds in the highest regard is his choreography and performance
of the main CHOGM piece at the opening ceremony of the meetings in 2007, before the 52 heads of states.
THIS name reigns high in circles of choreography. And Michael Kasaija it is. A big asset to performing arts, Michael has been around for quite some time, doing the rounds in break dance, Latino, African, Indian and all those dance types you have heard of, either hired to entertain or hired to coach.
Dance is what pays the bills. In fact, Michael’s impulse is buying dance videos, which he watches as a pastime, only rivaled by one other pastime – gymnastics.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that because of his dance prowess, Michael recently landed himself a juicy job as manager of the Ebonies drama group.
Though Michael will not disclose the figure he gets, he says his salary is good, with “at least six zeroes. I am not complaining, at least not yet,†he says.
His job description is clear – to run any choreographic bits in all upcoming Ebonies’ plays, handle the administrative arm of the group, as well as help in the general production of plays. This deal he landed late last year when Ebonies director JW Ssembajjwe asked him in.
He had impressed Ssembajjwe while acting in and doing the choreography for Trials and Tribulations of Love, the ninth episode of the group’s Romantic Night series.
Michael has since been in two other Ebonies plays: Quandary Ndigida and Love, Lust, Lies and Revenge.
Some will remember him as the boy who started out break-dancing and miming at Busoga College, Mwiri and at Caltec Academy. At Makerere University, Michael juggled a business administration degree with choreography for inter-hall competitions and variety shows.
Meanwhile, artistes like Steve Jean continuously hired him to be his king dancer, an exposure that landed him a beauty called Pamela Basasirwaki, whom he started dating.
It turned out Pamela was a member of The Obsessions Dance Group, so she introduced him to the group and he was taken on instantly. Then along came another dancer with the group, the cute Natasha Sinayobye, who made Michael’s heart miss a beat. Pamela was to be no more.
Michael was to start dating Natasha, now mother of their five-year-old
son, Sean Mario. In fact, Michael and Natasha quit in 2005 and started their own performing arts management
company, KOMBAT, with a dance arm to it – the KOMBAT dancers. Today, most of the members that formed the group have moved on, like Blu*3’s Mya
among others.
Although we do not hear much of the name KOMBAT, at least we can still see our star Michael, who has along the way performed at top-notch functions like the M-Net Face of Africa contest.
But what he holds in the highest regard is his choreography and performance
of the main CHOGM piece at the opening ceremony of the meetings in 2007, before the 52 heads of states.