The sound of a crowd chanting your name is a norm for performing artists, but for your name to be chanted so passionately in one’s home country and being privileged enough to perform and interact with one’s president is rare, and that’s one of the many highlights of Sherrie Silver’s long standing career. Silver played an elaborate role in executing the numerous seamless performances that graced the stage during the Giants of Africa festival, and it was a worthwhile experience according to her. She also embarked on what a wonderful experience working with Raptors President Masai Ujiri was. Having blossomed into the world of performing arts at the brink of teenage hood, Sherrie is openly passionate about helping young creatives (dancers) harness their talents and skills well enough to exhibit on semi global stages and live out their dreams. One of the dreams that’s been ticked off the bucket list thus far is performing for President Kagame, which has meant as much to her as it has to her team. “I’ve had the most amazing time curating the opening ceremony for the Giants of Africa festival. Working with all the kids and all the dancers has been heartwarming. To be able to give so many kids the opportunity to perform in front of the president and make their dreams come true.” When asked about the learning experiences she’s drawn from curating performances for the festival, the 29 year old choreographer reminisced on how the experience has harnessed her patience which has grown a lot because there’s been a lot of challenges, and having to constantly be reassuring and positive” “Some people think that we go on stage for 30 minutes and just shake our bodies but it’s a lot that goes into it. The choreography, the costumes and the music. It’s definitely been worth it and I think everyone loved it,” adds Silver. While the projects that have given her name recognition have advanced her career tremendously, Silver relishes most in the numerous opportunities she gets to perform in Rwanda, and something about performing for people with whom she shares a culture and being loved by them makes it a joyous experience, further amplifying the saying “Home is where the heart is.” “I get a much bigger thrill working in my country performing for my audience; the people that really know me. It feels really good being loved by the people that are my home, even coming out and hearing them say Sherrie Silver and people start cheering is really beautiful, knowing that it’s my people.” Silver has interacted with President Paul Kagame quite a number of times since her rise to stardom, and one of her takeaways from being around him often is his undying support for the youth which she holds in high esteem. “Meeting the president again and again is always an honor. He’s always kind and supportive to the youth which I love. The first time I performed for the president I was about 13 and I love what he’s doing for the young people in our country.” One of Silver’s favorite things about her interactions with first lady Jeannette Kagame is her dance moves and her vast understanding of the arts. “Our first lady can actually dance” Silver remarks joyously. “I like that she understands the arts and the power of the arts. A lot of older people cant understand that you can actually have a career in the arts and she understands that and supports it.” One of the most interesting parts of speaking to Silver was when she revealed the distinct correlation of the music she works around, and what she unwinds to. Despite consistently emulating Afrobeats and Hip hop music in almost every performance, the only genres playing when she’s off the clock are gospel, Reggae and Jazz, which may come as a surprise, considering how different they are from her performance MO, however they speak to her diverse palette and eccentric tastes. “I love gospel music, Reggae and Beres Hammond is my all-time favorite reggae singers. When I want to unwind I listen to a lot of Jazz instrumentals and country gospel, especially Jerry Thompson, a country gospel star.” Silver seamlessly answered the million dollar question most people tend to swipe left to in a way that expresses her deep appreciation for Rwandan artistry without breaking the kind of sweat that comes with playing favorites. “Who is your favorite Rwandan artist?” “I love The Ben, Meddy, Bruce and who I am really excited about right now is Element. I met him recently and heard two of his songs and loved them. My favorite artiste is Massamba. It was such an honor to work with him in Giants of Africa. When they asked me which artiste I wanted to work with, I was like Massamba.” Silver remarked excitedly. About Sherrie Silver Sherrie Silver is a Rwandan British choreographer and actress who rose to fame through her role as choreographer for Childish Gambino’s 'This is America' music video. Silver is the proud founder of 'Children of Destiny,' a charity organization that looks after disadvantaged children and has notable affiliations with the United Nations. Silver has worked with various Rwandan artistes like Malaika Uwamahoro and Massamba Intore and has won awards for her choreographies.
