“Contemporary dance is about freedom of expression for everyone. You can do ballet, stand on one leg and dance—anything you feel. There are no limitations,” says Joseph Kanyenje, artistic director at Pamoja Dance Group. Based in Nairobi, the troupe is made up of individuals using dance to champion the artistic integration of dancers with mixed abilities.

Established in 2005, the group’s main objective is to share creative work in an open and inclusive environment, while at the same time trying to communicate social issues through dance. Their motto: “Abled, disabled, different abled”. There are currently 13 dancers, all with a physical disability except for two, including Joseph. “When they get on stage, you can never really tell because they move so gracefully,” says the director, who is also a dancer and choreographer by profession. Dalmus Otieno, Lydia Iregi, Joyce Ndinda and Betty Mwendi are the lead dancers in the group. Betty is paralyzed from the waist down. When Lydia joined the group, she had a leg deformity. “I saw Betty dance while sitting on the floor and right then, I realized that I am even lucky to have my legs move, so I have been dancing ever since,” says Lydia.

One of the group’s most successful shows was “Mtanashati” (Swahili for beautiful). Held in 2010, it was a contemporary dance inspired by the plight of Afghanistan women. “There was a time in Afghanistan when women would be arrested for not having sexual intercourse with a spouse.” Joseph adds, “We decided to have all our female dancers appear in a show that was about dancing freely in celebration of a woman’s splendor.”

In 2011, the Pamoja Dance Group was featured in the video for “Simama”, a song by Kenyan acoustic singer Mutinda. The song scooped Best Song Award in the World Music Category of the U.S. International Songwriting Competition. On Joseph’s desk is a book byDalai Lama titled Healing Emotion. “Dance brings out emotion. We fight tears as we dance. All humans need emotion to connect freely,” says the artistic director.Visit www.pamojadance.org.