Official Starter Highlights Challenges and Gratitude for Collaborating with Market Women in Dance Videos
Content creator and dancer Official Starter has disclosed that he pays each of the market women he collaborates with, emphasizing the significance of compensating them for their integral role in creating his viral dance videos.
During a recent discussion at the Pulse Chat Session as part of the African Music Business Dialogue, Official Starter shed light on the challenges of working with non-professional dancers, particularly market women. He explained the necessity of paying them, considering their status as non-professional dancers who may require more time and effort to learn choreography.
“Right now I am working with them so I have to pay them because they are not professional dancers, they are market women,” Official Starter remarked. “Creating a choreography takes like 10 minutes with someone like Endurance, but with them, it might take like 2 to 3 hours. They have to leave whatever they are doing to join me, so I have to pay them; I’m wasting their time.”
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with market women, Official Starter highlighted the intricacies involved in working with individuals who may lack experience with professional dance routines. He emphasized the need for patience and understanding when working with them, recognizing the challenges of arranging and coordinating large groups of market women for dance performances.
“Working with them, I feel like I have to do more,” Official Starter explained. “The people out there, some don’t even know me. My content is crossing borders. Getting to that part is crazy. Me working with mothers… You have to be calm. Working with 20 market women, you have to arrange them. It’s not easy.”
Official Starter’s commitment to compensating the market women reflects his deep appreciation for the time and effort they invest in participating in his content creation process. Born Ernest Raja Nettey, Official Starter gained fame for his infectious dance videos filmed in the bustling marketplaces of Accra, Ghana, where he dances alongside the market women. Their energetic performances have captivated audiences worldwide, earning recognition even from Afrobeat star Burna Boy.
