Ghanaian-German dancer and creative director Dennis Kyere, widely known online as Dennismik, marked Mother’s Day with the release of Anima, a deeply personal visual and musical tribute dedicated to his late mother, Elizabeth Anima Kyere.
Released on March 15, 2026, the project moves beyond a traditional video format, unfolding instead as an emotional visual piece that blends storytelling, music, and dance to explore grief, love, and ancestral memory. For Kyere, the project represents both a creative statement and a personal act of remembrance.
A Tribute Rooted in Loss and Love
Anima was co-directed by Kyere alongside filmmaker Ibra Wane and filmed between Berlin and Dakar, Senegal. The cross-continental production reflects the artist’s dual cultural identity and his connection to both Europe and Africa.
At its core, the project serves as a tribute to Kyere’s mother, who passed away in 2002. Through symbolic imagery, choreography, and reflective narration, Anima explores the emotional journey of losing a parent while still carrying their presence into adulthood.
That idea, that a parent’s spirit continues to guide a child even after death forms the emotional backbone of the film.
Kyere has described the project as a way of transforming grief into creativity. As a child, he recalled struggling to understand his mother’s absence, spending long periods in confusion and sadness. Over time, however, he began to reinterpret that loss, realizing that her influence remained present in the person he was becoming.
Turning Memory Into Art
The narrative behind Anima focuses on the enduring presence of a mother’s influence. Even when only memories and photographs remain, the project suggests that the love and lessons passed down continue to shape identity and purpose.
Through choreography and visual storytelling, Kyere illustrates the idea that grief does not simply disappear but evolves into something new. In Anima, pain becomes movement, reflection becomes creativity, and personal memory becomes a universal message about family and legacy.
The project’s title itself carries deep meaning. “Anima,” the name of Kyere’s mother, becomes both a personal dedication and a symbolic reference to the spirit or essence that continues to live through the artist’s work.
From Dance Icon to Visual Storyteller
Kyere is widely known for his work in Afrobeats and dancehall choreography, having built a strong following across social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram through his energetic performances and distinctive visual style.
Born in Duisburg and raised in Berlin, the Ghanaian-German artist has spent more than two decades developing his craft as a dancer. He is also a prominent member of the Berlin-based entertainment collective M.I.K Family (Mindset is Key), a creative group that has grown from a local dance crew into a broader cultural movement.
Within the collective, Kyere co-founded the “M.I.K Brothers,” helping expand the group’s reach through dance, creative direction, and multimedia projects.
Beyond dance, he has also worked as a creative director and model, contributing to fashion editorials and collaborating with international brands including Fendi.
His artistic versatility was recognized in 2023 when he received a German Music Award.
A Message for the Diaspora
While Anima is deeply personal, its themes resonate far beyond Kyere’s own story. The project touches on experiences familiar to many within the African diaspora, the blending of cultures, the preservation of family memory, and the search for identity through creative expression.
By turning a personal loss into an artistic statement, Kyere transforms his mother’s memory into something lasting.
On a day when many people celebrated Mother’s Day with flowers and photos, Dennismik chose a different path, creating a piece of art that ensures his mother’s presence continues to live on through movement, music, and storytelling.
