We were lucky to catch up with Funmilayo Chesney recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Funmilayo, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My purpose found me through rhythm, culture, and the desire to uplift. I was born into movement—it’s how I made sense of the world before I had words. Over time, I came to understand that African and Diasporic dance wasn’t just performance—it was medicine, memory, and message.
As I taught children across New York City and around the world, I saw how dance and music became powerful tools for healing, identity, and self-expression—especially for children of color who don’t always see themselves reflected in traditional curricula.
That’s what led me to create FushaKids: I Believe in Myself. This album is an extension of my life’s work—it empowers children to love who they are, know where they come from, and move boldly toward who they can become.
My purpose is to use art—especially Congolese dance, rhythm, and storytelling—to nurture self-confidence, leadership, and cultural pride in young people. Through this album, I hope
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Funmilayo Chesney—Grand Marshal of the 2025 NYC Dance Parade, Congolese dance specialist, and Founder of Fusha Dance Company. For nearly 30 years, I’ve used African and Diasporic arts to empower children and communities through movement, music, and storytelling.
My newest project, FushaKids: I Believe in Myself, is a children’s empowerment album dropping May 16, 2025. It’s filled with uplifting, culturally rooted songs to help kids build confidence and celebrate who they are.
Right now, I’m focused on expanding FushaKids, working with schools, and continuing to use dance as a tool for healing, leadership, and joy.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Cultural Integrity
Honoring the roots of African and Diasporic traditions—especially Congolese dance—has shaped everything I do.
Advice: Learn deeply, stay connected to the culture, and uplift the legacy.
2. Vision & Adaptability
I’ve stayed rooted in purpose while adapting to schools, stages, and music studios.
Advice: Be flexible, but let your message stay strong.
3. Consistency & Passion
Decades of showing up with love have built my path.
Advice: Keep going. Passion starts it—consistency sustains it.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
If I knew I only had a decade left, I would spend it pouring even more love, movement, and music into the lives of children and communities. I’d continue to travel, teach, and perform—especially in places that need healing and joy the most.
I would document the traditions I’ve been blessed to learn and share—especially Congolese dance and African Diasporic arts—so future generations have access to them. I’d mentor young artists, create more albums like FushaKids, and build a lasting legacy that centers culture, empowerment, and wellness.
Most of all, I’d dance every day, love deeply, laugh often, and stay rooted in gratitude—because each moment would matter more than ever.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fushakids, www.fushadance.com
- Instagram: @fushakids, @Fushadance
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/FushaDance
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fushakids
Image Credits
Photo 1, 2, and 5 Adele Fournet
Photo 3 and 4 Lloyd Crosdale
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
