How cultural dance crew rose from the bottom to be stars

Briefly introduce yourself. 

I am Douglas Shikwekwe, a journalist, content creator, actor & the founder of Shiktronics Events and Productions.

Tell us about your cultural dancing team, how you assembled this, and the criteria for selecting members. 

Under Shiktronics Events, I manage Huruma Theatre Cultural Dancers, a professional cultural dance crew that is among Kenya’s top-ranked cultural troops. This troop was formed in 2007 as a response to the post-election violence. Our primary objective was to gather and raise awareness of peace in Mathare Slums and its surrounding areas.

Initially, there was no formal selection process; our involvement was driven purely by our interest and passion for entertaining the community. Over time, we have evolved into a close-knit family of entertainers.

As the Huruma Theatre Dancing Crew, we have had the opportunity to grace state functions under the Permanent Presidential Music Commission and perform at airports, corporate events, renowned hotels, and reserves. Additionally, we have had the honour of welcoming prominent local and international leaders at the airport.

How much do you charge for the cultural dancers to perform at an event? 

Charges for cultural entertainment services vary from various factors, including the type of event, location, package needed, and the client.

Tell us about Shiktronics. When did you start this, and what was the motivation?

Shiktronics Events & Productions is an event planning and management company founded five years ago, although it was legally registered just a year ago. My passion for event planning, coordination, and management was the driving force behind starting my events organisation.

Moreover, I wanted to create something that could contribute to tackling unemployment in the country. Currently, I have 15 individuals working for me in this business.

What can you say makes your business stand out? 

I consider my business to be unique in its own right. I am an artist and stage performer, and most of my crew and team members are also. Consequently, we have a deeper understanding of what it takes to make an event successful and can provide the necessary expertise to achieve that. 

Which notable clients have you worked with?

Shiktronics Events currently manages several entertainers and their media platforms. However, we cannot disclose our clients’ names due to privacy terms. Additionally, we have partnered with other companies like S.K Entertainment to produce a highly popular monthly comedy event called Wamusyi Show, which has gained significant success nationwide. Our business also specialises in social media management and marketing for notable entities in town.

As a journalism graduate, do you aspire to work in the mainstream media?

I can confidently say that I am applying the knowledge I gained at university to generate income. If an opportunity in radio production presents itself, I may consider it to assist the organisation in achieving its set objectives for the target audience. However, at this moment, my primary focus is on consultancy.

How much do you make in a good month? 

I may not disclose my net worth, but I can at least pay my bills. 

What does setting up a media production brand entail, for starters?

For starters, you only need to work on marketing. Others shall follow.

What challenges have you faced thus far? 

I don’t keep records of challenges since I use them as a stepping stone to the next level. But all in all, our economy is already a challenge. 

How did you get an opportunity at Sammy Kioko’s Entertainment? 

Sammy Kioko Entertainment is an open-minded production that scouts for fresh talents nationwide to execute their film and production dreams passionately. Therefore, I have been a close associate of the founder for a long time. Apart from having some roles in the company, I am an associate.