| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | English |
| Born | February 1977 (age 48) London, England |
Aicha Alicia McKenzie (born February 1977) is a former female British gymnast, model and dancer who is also theCEO of AMCK Management, which founded AMCK Dance in 2005, AMCK Models in 2008 and AMCK Fit in June 2017.[1][2] She is widely regarded as a leader in the entertainment field.[3]
McKenzie was born in London in 1977.[1] She is an alumna ofPutney High School, GDST in South-West London.[4] Age 17, McKenzie won threerhythmic gymnasticsbronze medals at the1994 Commonwealth Games inVictoria,British Columbia,Canada,[5][6][7][8] narrowly missing out on qualifying for the1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[9]
McKenzie was also a dancer forTake That during their performance at the firstEMA's inBerlin in 1994.[1]
AMCK Dance is the exclusive agency providing talent for theMTV EMA shows for over 15 years. They regularly work with artists such asDua Lipa,Beyonce,Rihanna,Kendrick Lamar,Madonna andJanet Jackson.[3] McKenzie's first major project wasKanye West's 'Golddigger' promotional campaign which was featured in the 2006Brit Awards.[10] McKenzie worked on theChristian Louboutin's 20th Anniversary hologram film withDita Von Teese which was showcased in London in 2012, as well as choreographing fashion shows as part ofLondon Fashion Week.[10][11]
McKenzie was also responsible for choreographing 300 Olympic dancers during theLondon 2012 Olympic Games[9] at the beach volleyball, gymnastics, taekwondo and boxing venues.[9] She was also the choreographer for theMTV European Music Awards for several years.[1][12][10] McKenzie also choreographed the opening ceremony for the2015 Rugby World Cup final atTwickenham.[8] In 2022 she was a resident choreographer at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham for the beach volleyball, gymnastics, badminton and basketball venues.
AMCK MODELS was the first male-based modelling agency in London.[12] They have secured campaigns with designers such asGivenchy,Burberry,Alexander McQueen andPrada.[3] AMCK challenges the industries perception of what male beauty means today, and focus on signing boys that eschew stereotypes.[13]
In 2017, AMCK Fit was also launched, acting as a wellness concierge service to the creative industries.[14][15][8] They have hosted events with companies including Vogue House, Soho House and Sony Music.[3]
McKenzie has made many TV appearances as a judge onMTV reality dance showsMTV Shakedown andSweet Sixteen, ITV'sDancing on Ice,Britains Next Top Model, Trouble TV's Bump and Grind,Extreme Makeover and the BBC'sThe Best in Town.[10]
In 2020, Aicha McKenzie received her Breath Coach Accreditation, and teaches breath techniques via Instagram and Zoom.[16]
On 22.2.22, AMCK Group launched a collection of 222 NFTs featuring a selection of AMCK talent. Each talent featured will receive royalties from the sale of their artwork in perpetuity. Symbolically, pieces from the 22.2.22: Genesis collection were put on sale for £250 - around the traditional day rate for a dancer.[17]
In 2013, McKenzie was one of fifty women to be invited to10 Downing Street for the Power List reception, where she was recognised as one of Britain's most influential black people.[12] In 2019, McKenzie became The Black British Business Awards' (BBBAs) senior leader for the Consumer and Luxury category as CEO of the AMCK Group.[18]
