Contemporary dance in East Africa, specifically Kenya, is a newly emerging art form informed by the political drive of a small number of choreographers. In this article, I discuss Kenyan choreographer Opiyo Okach's contribution to dance training as exemplified through the "Shift … centre Series 10" which was performed at The Place, London, October, 2009. The research for this writing draws on observations of dance rehearsals, workshops and performances and interviews conducted during a number of visits to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala from 2007 to 2010. "Shift … centre" combines improvisation, responses to site-specific locations, collaborations between artists, and offers an opportunity for dance training for the performers. Okach's choreography is informed by his desire to de-centre the performing space and to challenge mainstream dance practice. This case study offers an example of a choreographer who creates both in his homeland and Europe and has been instrumental in the development of contemporary dance in Kenya and internationally.