Behind The Scenes
Emmanuel Whajah, a creative director and photographer known as Emzy Production Films, has always involved himself in creative pursuits. Born in Hanover, Germany, his first passion was dancing. At the age of five he imitated his idol, Michael Jackson, and a couple years later, won a dance competition. After dancing in front of the camera for over seventeen years, Emmanuel started thinking about how he could use his talent behind the camera. Now he produces visuals for artists including Keke Palmer, Eric Bellinger, Les Twins, Kid Ink, Post Malone, Chris Brown, Miguel, Tyga, Rita Ora, Migos, Offset, Takeoff, TY Dollar $ign, French Montana and Ella Mai.
Blackpool Dance Festival was the place for Canadian duo Luka & Jenalyn to compete against the biggest names in the world in ballroom dance. After nearly one hundred years, it is still the most prestigious and longest-running ballroom dance competition in the world. The historic Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens Theatre in Blackpool, England on June 1st was standing room only with bow ties and gala gowns surrounding the ballroom floor. It was obvious from the start that Luka & Jenalyn were going to bring something new and fresh; breaking away from tradition.
Luka Milacic-Perusina and Jenalyn Saraza-Pacheco, popularly known as Luka & Jenalyn, are cabaret ballroom dancers from Toronto, Canada. The dynamic duo have mesmerized audiences with their unique and innovative spin on cabaret; a combination of ballroom dancing, cabaret, cirque and theatre arts.
“Being dancers is our passion and our dream,” says the duo. “We are so happy to be able to live it out. We cannot imagine doing anything other than dancing as our profession. We live and breathe dance.”
Luka & Jenalyn are currently Vice Champions and the youngest ever three time professional cabaret ballroom finalists in the history of the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival in England, the first & oldest ballroom dance competition in the world.
Last month, Breakaway Daily joined people from around the world at Paisley Park in Minnesota as Celebration 2018 honored music legend Prince Rogers Nelson. The four day event marked Prince’s passing for the second year in a row, with the first being Celebration 2017. Since his untimely death on April 21, 2016, visiting Minnesota has become bittersweet. After all, Prince is what brought us here in the first place. We were fortunate enough to share Prince’s space at Paisley Park on three occasions before he left this earth, and each time was more amazing than the last.
Fans, friends and family marked the second anniversary of Prince’s passing with a four-day celebration at Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Celebration 2018 honored the unique life and legacy of the prodigiously talented cultural icon Prince Rogers Nelson. In its second year, the four-day special event took place between April 19th and 22nd at Prince’s historic home and recording sanctuary outside Minneapolis at Paisley Park. Celebration 2018 has brought together fans from 30 different countries and 5 continents as well as Prince’s closest associates and musical collaborators.