Kenya dancers turn moves into six-figure deals

Today, that pathway is evolving. A younger generation is entering the scene, moving with more intention, and turning dance into a structured, reliable source of income.

Eunice Wangari, 23, popularly known as Eldoret Hype Girl, grew up far from the cameras and studio lights of Nairobi. She began dancing at 12 in a church in Eldoret, something she says she simply loved. Over time, she noticed people stopping to watch her. That attention pushed her to experiment across genres and refine her craft.

“I realised I needed to venture into different spaces,” she says. “Different music, different styles.”

Wangari's big moves

Her first paid recording experience came in 2019, dancing for a church choir. She earned Sh500. It was modest, but it marked a turning point.

In 2021, she moved to Nairobi to study journalism at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and joined the Motherland Dancers. At the time, the group performed on TV stations largely for exposure, building visibility and a portfolio.

Her first paid gig with a mainstream artist came later that year on a music video for Gengetone artist Gwash. Rehearsals and the shoot happened in a single day. She earned Sh2,500.

“It wasn’t much, but it showed me the work was real,” she says.

In 2023, she auditioned for the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens and made the cut. Performing alongside dancers she had long admired, and with the Permanent Presidential Music Commission, marked a breakthrough moment.

“It was a big deal working with people I had looked up to for years,” she says.

As her profile grew, so did the opportunities. A campaign tied to the viral Kikuyu song Mwaki became her highest-paying project, earning her about Sh70,000 from a single artist engagement.

Her influences stretch beyond Kenya. She cites California-based dancer Kylie Kaminsky, who won top teen female dancer at The Dance Awards in Las Vegas in 2024.

Livingstone changes stages

Livingstone Okumu, also 23 and known as Livi Brand, took a different route into dance. Before building a following on TikTok, he was an actor. In primary school, he appeared in a gospel music video, Mungu Wangu by Jackton Musoka.

By Class Seven, he was spending time around dancers, watching, trying out moves, then slipping away.

“I would try a move and leave,” he says with a laugh. “It felt difficult, almost impossible.”

What began as curiosity became habit, then skill. His early gigs paid little, but the experience stayed with him.

“I felt like it was my calling,” he says. “I knew I had to keep going.”

There were long dry spells, sometimes a full year without bookings. Still, he kept posting consistently on TikTok, building an audience. By the time artist Willy Paul discovered him online, Livingstone had close to 88,000 followers.

“That connection opened a door that hasn’t closed,” he says.

His highest-paying single deal came through a branded performance contract with Safaricom, earning him Sh150,000.

Unlike many of his peers, Livingstone chose not to pursue university after finishing high school in 2021. Instead, he focused on business. He started selling shoes in Eldoret, later moving to Nairobi where he briefly worked in a boutique to learn sourcing, sales and customer relations.

Within a month, he struck out on his own. Today, he runs a shop at Nairobi city centre, using it not just as a business but as a networking hub.

“That’s how I connect with artists and dancers,” he says. “They come in as clients, and we build from there.”

Livingstone first connected with Eunic in 2017.

“She told me I had ‘dance foot’,” Livingstone recalls, laughing. “That’s when we started working together.”

Working together

Their first joint project was with gospel artist David Wanda. Coordinating as a duo proved challenging at first, but over time they developed a rhythm, balancing individual style with synchronised performance.

Since then, they have worked with artists including Willy Paul, Bahati and Ben C, as well as performers from Tanzania and Somalia. Some gigs have taken them beyond Kenya, with clients covering travel, accommodation and meals.

“Travelling for work and doing what you love is always a good experience,” they say.

Social media remains their primary engine. Without agents or formal representation, most opportunities come through direct messages, referrals or brands discovering their content online. Livingstone has about 88,000 TikTok followers; Eunice has roughly 74,000.

Working with brands

Brands such as Shell, Indomie and Mozzart Bet have engaged them for activations and campaigns. Recently, they secured a monthly contract with a Chinese company worth Sh250,000, tied to the traffic they generate online.

Eunice also works as a professional MC, carefully separating that identity from her dance brand.

“Eunice is an MC. Eldoret Hype Girl is a dancer. Those are two different brands,” she says.

As an MC, she has worked with Sky Girls on campaigns around HPV awareness and teenage pregnancy, as well as with betting brands on activations.

Pricing and business model

When pricing their services, the duo have developed a structured approach. A basic appearance in a music video starts at around Sh40,000.

Fees increase depending on the scope; choreography, styling and concept development.

Livingstone often handles styling, drawing on his fashion business and experience working behind the scenes with artists.

For TikTok dance challenges, they charge about Sh3,500 to initiate a campaign. If the content gains traction, earnings can rise to Sh70,000 or more across multiple videos.

“If we quote Sh100,000, it’s because we understand the value we’re bringing,” says Livingstone.

Career setbacks

Their journey has not been without setbacks. Early in their careers, they often worked without contracts, relying on verbal agreements that were sometimes broken.

“Some artists would promise to pay and then disappear,” Eunice says. “We would call until we got blocked.”

They also had to navigate confusion around their dual roles when working together, particularly when clients expected bundled services at a single rate.

Eunice has faced rejection based on her height, while Livingstone has missed out on opportunities he expected to land. Still, both say consistency has shifted their trajectory.

“The demand is high right now,” Eunice says.

Looking ahead, they want to formalise their work into a dance agency, one that can supply multiple dancers on demand while ensuring fair pay and structure in an industry that often lacks both.

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