Well, that is not true. I have few friends who are millionaires. But Kenichi is the first one who made the million himself. For that, I am so proud of him.
I have known Kenichi for 10 years now. We met in University of Bridgeport (UB) where he used to go to school. I still remember the first time watching his dance video. In a friend's room at Park Ave, with a few other Japanese friends, and I was amazed by his dancing. At that time, he was already a full time performer and lived in NYC. But every Japanese in UB knows him because he lead Japanese students to win UB's International Festival every year! And, he also formed a dance club called Soul Beat which many of my friends joined and I did for 2 years too. Soul Beat was well known in UB because its creative dance moves were like no others. Soul Beat also won every year at the International Festival even when it competed with African American dance groups.
I am not very close to Kenichi. He is a very social person who has so many friends everywhere he goes. But I was lucky to have some time hanging out with him. My friends and I went to NYC for his performance, and I even had a luck to go to SF with him and a couple friends for a show.
For most people, they only see the Kenichi on TV. This little guy who is a great dancer. But for me, I see him as more than that. It is really not easy to be a dancer since there are so many of them out there. And, it is a very physical thing, just like being an athlete. Dancers can't dance forever, and if they get injured they can't make money. Time is not on Kenichi's side. I also see how hard is it to have a stable income for a dancer. They have to go gigs when there are gigs available. Kenichi went to all kinds of gigs, small, big, famous person's party, night club, etc. There is no comfortable job income, 401K, health insurance, paid transportation, hotel, or food. It not only takes youth, bravery, and passion to be a dancer. It also takes love.
And, I think that's what Kenichi has, love. Love for dance, for dream, for life. He is one of the luckiest people in the world because he could do what he loves, do it well, do it successfully, and do it rich famous!When others of his age were taking desk jobs, giving up dreams to have a secure future, he didn't give it up; when others of his age were happy to get promoted and making twice more than he makes, he didn't give it up; when others of his age are settled down for rest of their life, his just started tonight~!!!!!
I am just so happy for him. Happy for him as a person who never gave up dream and does what he loves to do and makes it big. I am very proud of him and look up to him.
By the way, in case you will read this, Ebi san, I knew you were going to win. I just knew it~!!