A celebrity... in Kenya

A Bermudian dancer has become a star on an X-Factor-style TV show in Kenya.

Now Joanne Ball-Burgess has been signed up for the fourth season of Sakata, which pits dance crews against each other in a bid to win the top prize of one million Kenyan shillings.

Nairobi-based Ms Ball-Burgess — known simply as Judge Joanne to millions of Kenyans and as a professional dancer — was signed up to the show after a photographer recommended her to the show’s producer.

Father, Ed L Ball, of Warwick, said: “It’s become the number one most-watched programme in all of Kenya and is beamed to Nigeria and Uganda and other places as well.

“It’s been a huge adjustment for her — when she walks around town, people recognise her. The programme even hired a bodyguard for her.”

Now she has been featured in Celeb Corner in the top-selling Salon beauty magazine, with a four-page feature.

Mr Ball said: “She took up dance in her teens and has taught dance in Cyprus and Egypt. She’s been creative since she was very little and loves adventure.”

Mother-of-two Ms Ball-Burgess, who used to work for the Bermuda National Gallery, and husband Quincy Burgess moved to Nairobi two years ago after stints in Europe and the Middle East.

But Mr Ball said it was only by chance she ended up one of the hottest stars on Kenyan TV. He added: “A friend went to a modelling agency and she went with her. They saw Joanne and asked her if they could take pictures of her as well. 

“She declined, but they called her house and her husband persuaded her to take part.

“The guy who did the photo shoot was a friend of one of the associate producers of the show who was looking for a judge.

“They talked to her and the rest is history.”

In the Salon interview, Ms Ball-Burgess talked about the differences between Bermuda and Kenya.

She said: “As a people, Bermudians, who are descended from West Indian/African, British, Portuguese and Native Americans, are very friendly and like to talk a lot.

“We get offended if the friendliness is not reciprocated and because the island is small, everyone knows everyone and most people are related.”

She added: “My observation of Kenyans is that people are very polite but not very friendly. I get bothered that the politeness is not always genuine and being Bermudian, I am used to someone expressing how they really feel about a particular issue or idea. I find that Kenyans have a hard time expressing their true feelings about a topic when asked.”

But she added: “At times when people recognise me I simply treat them like a regular friend and engage in conversation with them.”  And she said: “I am so thankful to the people of Kenya for accepting me as their own. I do not feel like a foreigner in this land.

“I look forward to getting to know more amazing people here as I have met a lot of very talented people already.” n