Dance celebrated

Mar 09, 2009

The history of the more spiritual contemporary dance in Uganda is yet to be written. But at least that we saw what could be the beginning of it during the fifth annual Dance Week at National Theatre recently.

By Emmanuel Ssejjengo

The history of the more spiritual contemporary dance in Uganda is yet to be written. But at least that we saw what could be the beginning of it during the fifth annual Dance Week at National Theatre recently.

Themed, Dance Journeys, the festival kicked off with Journeys, a piece that retold the stronger push of contemporary dance for recognition alongside other art forms. Then there were those forces that seemed to strangle the effort.

The path taken was not as easy as first projected. The paths, illustrated with ropes, had an end. For some, it was a happy ending while others remained in a state of confusion. But it led the guests from National Theatre’s dance floor to the auditorium where the proper show kicked off. Cathy Nakawesa has been one of the best exhibits of the Dance Week over the years. She came even stronger this year, as director and choreographer of the new company, Beautiful Feet Dance Company.

Her Sweet Nightmares was a procession of strong emotional attachments to as absent lover, something her video projection pronounced to strike the audience.

Okulamba Dance Theatre was topical with ‘Life after Obama.’ In this, they employed more aspects of drama than dance, remodelling contemporary dance to something simple. And this was another aspect of Dance Journeys.

Treated as a sophisticated art dance form that many Ugandan viewers were turned off. One of the viewers, Samuel Ibanda, however, kept it very simple and one viewer was heard saying, “He is the best because it is the only thing that I understood.”

The highlight was anticipated to be the Tetsuro (Japanese choreographer) — Jonas Byaruhanga collaboration. But Byaruhanga came off stronger, taking control of most of the movements with only few clips of unity with Tetsuro. We nearly missed out on the Japanese Bhuto dance influence.

It was only when the two dancers moved into a newer “space”, coming together in an emphasis of shadow movements that we witnessed something new.

Footsteps Dance Company emphasised an appreciation of visual art.

Makerere University brought the most number of dancers whose Journey emphasised different aspects of Uganda’s cultural landscape.

Haniba Dance Company went environmental, using garbage as props, in revealing merely human choices.

The fifth dance week was a simple weekend affair than expected. There was something for even those who carried empty heads. former Namasagali principle Fr.Grimes was recognised for his contribution to dance in Uganda.

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