Dancers from the Pilobolus dance theatre company of the US. Contemporary dance offers employment not just on the dance floor, but in the academic field of research. Photo/REUTERS
Despite the Ugandan audience’s indifference, contemporary dance has surprised both its leading promoters and observers by its growth.
Nothing illustrates this better than the turnout at the recent annual Contemporary Dance Week, which featured 14 dance companies — easily the largest number since the festival started five years ago.
Back in 2004, there were three dance companies, but the festival now attracts more local, regional and international dance troupes. The fifth edition, held at the National Theatre from February 27 to March 1, averaged an audience of 200 each day.
The contemporary dance family has grown not only in numbers but quality as well. At the start, dance artistes started a festival that would put up shows for free as a way to build a following, according to Dance Week architect Julius Lugaaya.
“This is a platform that was created for Ugandan dancers to be talked about like other artistes. Over the years, it has grown to become bigger and better,” said Lugaaya.
The first two editions recorded full house attendance. But after the organisers started to charge entrance fees, numbers shrank.
The average Ugandan, it appears, would rather spend the Ush5,000 ($2.5) fee on beer than pay to see Keiga’s Imagination dance act.
Imagination is an absorbing, typical African contemporary dance act that features five muscled males in pursuit of one frail female. It is carefully interwoven with a story behind it.
But the interpretation of the piece can be as diverse as the audience itself.
Imagination was one of the highlights of this year’s dance gala.
Lugaaya, says the driving force of Dance Week for now is not money.
They want to create an impression first, build a profile and reap the benefits of their art later, like their musical colleagues.
But, he adds that through dance some artistes have managed to “put bread on the table,” earning no less than Ush1 million ($500) for a performance.
“Sometimes it’s not all about money but the impression you make out there. Once we’ve made our name, the corporate will come looking for us. I know dance companies that don’t dance for less than one million shillings,” he said.
For others, contemporary dance offers another window of employment not just on the dance floor, but in the academic field of research.
The dance companies that featured at this year’s festival under the theme “Dance Journeys” are Break Dance Project Uganda, Keiga Dance Company, Footsteps, Mutumizi Dance Theatre, Burudani Dance Company, Makerere University, Stepping Stone, Okulamba Dance Theatre, Utaa Convicts, Haniba Dance Company, Makaramba Company, Beautiful Feet, the Kampala Ballet and Modern Dance School and Kombat Dancers.
