Esta Etim is a passion driven creative who started out as a dance service provider through her brand Ainesis Conceptz founded in 2012.
She introduced dance education into schools through dance clubs; to further help children find expression and a platform to learn, showcase, and explore the art of dance as a form of learning.
This led her to hosting an interschool (primary) dance competition called ‘The Bejewelled Project’ after which dance clubs were birthed in schools within Cross River State as a lot of schools embraced the concept – and still do.
In 2014, she was awarded a contract, by the Cross River State Government, to build a performance team for the Children’s Carnival. Selections were made from the best dancers in schools’ dance clubs, to grace the Children’s Carnival frontline, alongside top government officials.
Since then, Ainesis Conceptz has provided opportunities for young adults, with a talent in dance, to earn some extra income while doing what they love; and this dance crew is called Team Ainesis. This initiative has provided a means of livelihood for unemployed youths with talents in dance.
Team Ainesis has graced a lot of stages including TedX Calabar event held in March, 2018.
It has collaborated with health bodies like MWAN (Medical Women Association of Nigeria), Pink Africa, SMAP Charity, Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetrics (SOGON) Calabar, using creative arts to amplify their different causes.
Currently, Team Ainesis is expanding to accommodate not just dancers, but other creative artists (talented youths with skills in designing, styling, art & crafts, spoken word, poetry, acting, script-writing, etc.)
Esta seeks to build a creative hub that mentors young creatives and provides platforms for them to develop themselves and find fulfillment and profit in the area of their passion.
Esta is also a Co- Creator of a brand name known as ‘FitFest Naija’. FitFest Naija was officially launched in 2017 in Calabar, and holds every October. It seeks to address the challenges with health and fitness, and encourages fitness as a lifestyle.This year, FitFest Naija collaborated with MWAN to support the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
She launched ‘iDance iFiT’ at FitFest 2018, where women have been coached and supported to embrace fitness as a lifestyle though dance and healthy eating. The first season of ‘iDance iFiT’ ends on 15th December, 2018; and the second season is set to kick off in January, 2019.
Esta has been trained by EDC and she completed her required internship at Mona Dance School, Port Harcourt, in 2014. She has also trained under Fitness Mixx in Lagos.
She is a member of Spirit of David Gospel Dance club till date.
She also serves as a mentor and coach to a dance group called ‘NuVessels’ (from 2009 till date), and has brought about innovative ways through which dancers can find fulfilment while doing what they love.
Through yet another of her initiative – Danse Krib, opportunities have also been created for them to be trained.