Nii Nai is switching up the Ghanaian dance scene with AmaVogue

When it comes to dancing, creativity is super important, and 19-year-old creative, Nii Nai, is making waves in Ghana with his unique fusion of Amapiano and Vogue. As the creator of AmaVogue and founder of the AmaVogue dance class, Nii Nai is carving out a new space in Ghana where two expressive dance styles meet. This month, we spoke with him about his journey, inspiration, and what’s next for AmaVogue. Let’s get into it!

Nii Nai’s passion for movement

Describing himself as an all-round creative, Nii Nai expressed that dancing has been part of his life for as long as he can remember, but it became serious around 11 or 12 years old. With little interaction with others growing up, he spent countless hours studying music videos and slowing them down to master every move. 

Entirely self-taught, Nii Nai is now looking to take professional classes next year to refine his skills even further.

Discovering his style

Growing up in Ghana, he was immersed in Afro-French music, Ghanaian beats, and Nigerian Afrobeats, which naturally influenced his early dance interests.

"The first dance I really tried to learn was breakdancing; popping and locking. I was obsessed with it and used to record myself dancing until I got the moves perfectly.”

From there, he explored choreographed Afrobeats dances through online content. As he mastered these styles, he began experimenting with merging different dance movements. This led to the birth of AmaVogue.

The inspiration behind AmaVogue

As a big fan of Amapiano himself, we asked Nii Nai what inspired him to combine it with Vogue.

“I got into South African music around 2014/2015, when Afro House was really taking off. Then in 2018/2019, I started engaging with a lot of queer content and discovered ballroom culture. I didn’t fully dive in until the 2020 lockdown, when I had more time to perfect my voguing.”

When Amapiano became very popular in West Africa, Nii Nai was eager to learn its dance steps. 

“One day, I was doing some Amapiano moves and added voguing, and it just made sense. Both styles are very expressive, they have connections to house music, and they share similar hand and leg movements.”

AmaVogue dance classes

AmaVogue is a movement that Nii Nai really wants to make accessible to others. That’s why he decided to host dance classes teaching this unique genre.

“Right now, my goal is to take AmaVogue from just a concept in my head to a teachable choreography. Thinking up a dance style is one thing, but creating structured lessons that can be taught is another.”

He is also deeply committed to educating his students about the roots of both dance styles. 

“When things become big and commercial, they can easily be co-opted. So during my classes, I include history and theoretical background lessons alongside the actual dancing.”

At the time of this interview, he’d hosted a few classes in Ghana recently, but he’s now taking a break to explore opportunities elsewhere. 

“I’m considering doing one in the UK, but I need to gauge interest and find the right partners to make it happen. When I’m back in Ghana in December, I'll definitely be hosting more classes then.”

His experience with Tix

Beyond his passion for dance, Nii Nai is also excited about how technology can support his creative craft.

“Before I decided to pursue the creative arts, I had an interest in tech. My mom works in tech, and living in the UK where digital ticketing is the norm made me open to trying it out.”

Discovering Tix felt like a natural fit for him. He saw that Tix is an African startup, and our website looked youthful and vibrant. That convinced him to create an account.

His favorite feature is the mobile money (Momo) integration. 

“Momo is huge here because of its accessibility. It was really nice to see it integrated on Tix, so my guests aren’t just limited to card payments.”

The future of AmaVogue

As AmaVogue continues to grow, Nii Nai is committed to refining his craft and sharing his passion with others. Whether in Ghana, the UK, or anywhere else in the world, his vision for dance is to embrace creativity and cultural education.

We’re excited to see where he takes AmaVogue next, and we wish him all the best in his journey!