In an interview on Channels TV, renowned Nigerian professional dancer, Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, popularly known as Kaffy, opened up about her journey into dance, attributing its beginnings to a desire to enhance her mental health.
Kaffy shared her personal story, explaining that growing up in a household with a single parent, dancing became a source of solace and a means of navigating the challenges of adolescence. The professional dancer, celebrated for her remarkable skills and contributions to the industry, revealed that she initially saw dance as a therapeutic art form.
“Before I even thought of dancing as a profession, I always saw it as something to help me with my mental health,” Kaffy disclosed during the interview. “Growing up in that average Nigerian household, you have divorced parenting. You are trying to navigate through life as a young teenager. Dancing was the art form in which I found solace. I used it as an escape to somewhere I could become something.”
As her passion for dance evolved, Kaffy transformed her skills into a fitness awareness exercise, staging sessions at the Lagos State National Stadium with the aim of “giving people life.” She emphasized the transformative power of dance in both her personal journey and its broader impact on others seeking an escape or outlet.
“And when I related with others in the social environment, I found out that people needed some escape. I started exploring that at the national stadium until I found the entertainment space,” Kaffy shared, highlighting her journey from a personal mental health escape to becoming a fitness inspiration and entertainer.