PynKsy Shell

The Teacher

Born and raised in Mozambique (South East Africa), PynKsy Shell, also known as Tânia do Amaral-Ndeve, is a proudly African, dancer, teacher, researcher for dances and cultures in Africa, cultural activist, curious, traveller and enthusiastic person. She was also for a decade a Pharmacist, which she gave up to become a full-time dancer and researcher for dances from Africa.

She has already lived in Portugal, Cape Verde and now Canada. It’s possible to say that her journey started in Portugal where she lived for 6 years, which was very important because it gave her the opportunity to study dance more professionally, deepening her knowledge. We are talking about Ballet, Contemporary dance, Barre floor, Jazz, Modern dance, Raqs Sharqi, Fusion Sharqi Dance, Hip-Hop, Flamenco/ Sevilhanas and Bharata Natyam. She even took an intensive course in Ballet for Teachers based on RAD technique at APAM in Porto. She moved to Portugal to do her MA in Pharmacy which was always very good because it gave her a deep understanding of the body in terms of anatomy (bones, muscles, tendons, nerves and articulations) and physiology (systems and organs).

After that, she moved to Cape Verd where she could participate in MidelAct (the greatest or one of the greatest theatrical event in Africa) representing Mozambique in two theatrical dance performances.

Another great opportunity was to work on a project called “Corpos em Acção” with a Portuguese theatrical company which combines dance and theatrical performance. She also could make her first dance show called "Os 5 Elementos" in partnership with other local dancers and sponsors.

A year and a half later she moved back to Mozambique where she created with another partnership a new concept called Ghawazi Worldwide – Dance Convention & Festival, an event in which she was the Artistic Director.

Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance
Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance

In 2017, she finds herself again living out of Mozambique, this time to North of America. Canada is where she now resides. In Canada, she established a new base to explore, create, investigate and teach. Her main goal is to reach other people with her culture and Africa diversity.

Currently, she works full-time in this dance concept/ style that she started in 2015 when she was still living in Mozambique.

A fusion dance style that combines/ fuses the different elements of the dance cultures of Africa (from folklore to traditional and urban). A fusion between dance movements from all over Africa and also based on professional (stage) performances from Egypt, known as Raqs Sharqi. This dance brings together the dance elements of Africa (from North to South, East to West and Central). This is about creating bridges that connect Africa’s diversity. It is about unification. She called Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance. The frame/ canvas of this dance is Africa, and the goal is to make it visible for whoever is watching the difference but also the similarities in the dynamic of the movement.

Since she was born and raised in Africa, she believes that it is more than an obligation to take Africa cultures, values, heritage, meaning, History, and much more beyond borders. Since she moved to Canada, she has been teaching and performing Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance in many different places around British Columbia (Vancouver, Nelson, Nanaimo, Kelowna, and Lillooet) but also outside of BC, as in Montreal and even USA (Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle).

In the field of Dances and Rhythms from Africa, her mentors are from Mozambique for Traditional Mozambican Dance (Mauro Sigauque and Osvaldo Passirivo) but not only. She also studies urban styles, as for example Afro Beats. As a self-didactic, she also studies the vocabulary of African Dances by Alphonse Tiérou (Ivory Coast dancer based in France) and Afro Contemporary Dance by Germaine Acongy (École des Sables in Senegal) using their books as guides.

Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance

Tânia has had the honour and opportunity to work alongside some important members of the dance community including:

  • Karina Leiro (Flamenco & Sevilhanas)

  • Miguel Vilhena (ballet, barre floor, contemporary, jazz)

  • Tarika Valli (Bharatanatyam)

  • Vasco Lopes (hip-hop, popping, locking, b-boying)

  • Helen Walkley (Laban Technique and contemporary dance).

  • April Rose

  • Abigail Keyes

  • Ariellah

  • Ashely Lopez

  • Bindu Bolar

  • Catherine De Sève

  • Carolena Nerichio

  • Donna Mejia

  • Hossam & Serena Ramzy

  • Jill Parker

Accomplishments & Certifications

  • First Mozambican & African Certified Datura Dance Style Teacher with Rachel Brice

  • Completed Introduction to Laban Movement Studies with Helen Walkley

  • Studying to become a Certified Dance Teacher through International Dance Teaching Standards Program

  • Member of the International Dance Council CID by UNESCO

In April 2019 the dance concept Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance was officially patented pending and in 2020 become a Trade Marketing. She is now finishing AFSD Manual in English and Portuguese so students around the world can embrace this new dance style. All the details regarding what this dance form entails, the mission, vision & aspirations and values & principles are possible to be found on her website or Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance official FB Page.