A Night At The Theatre

One of our In Movement alumni, Sharif, once told me, “You know the reason why I love music and dance?  Because if you are blind, you can hear the beats and if you are deaf, you can see the dancers.  It is an art that captures the minds of all.”

Tonight I was invited to view the very popular performance, Kalabanda, performed by Uganda’s own dance crew, Tabu Flo.  In three weeks Tabu Flo will embark to the UK to share this performance with others outside of Uganda.

This evening's show was a premiere with some new additions, as this has been a work in progress over the years.

Now for those who may not have heard, the legend of Kalabanda is about ghostly apparitions or spirits who would terrorize boarding school students in the night, stealing belongings and mercilessly harassing them.  The story goes that the goes could access the dormitory in the dead of night to beat students, cut their hair and nails, and if they really liked their victim, they would carry that person with them.  Students say that the kalabandas had a season and that was the most dreaded time for the boarding students.  They would live in fear and believed that the only way to escape was to hang rosaries, as the crucifix on the rosary made the kalabanda believe that their victim was already dead.

As I met some of my youth and my roommate Rachelle, we took our seats at The National Theatre, ones that got us four rows away from the action.  With popcorn and drinks in hand, we were ready for the show!

Tabu Flo brought together hip-hop and traditional dance, and music that bridged the two for a wonderful performance that highlighted this story. 

Feet and plastic cups provided the beat.

Raw story lines tore at ones heartstrings.

The kalabandas roamed the stage, increasing the heart rate of the audience.

I watched in awe at the fluidity of the performance as different types of dance complemented one another and performers lived in the moment.  As the show concluded, I ached for more.

I loved seeing people that I knew, people that I have danced alongside and had genuine conversations with be up on stage in their element.

I loved knowing that those people on stage had attended school, heard these stories, feared these stories, and now was about to travel abroad to share the message in such a unique fashion.

These are just some of the people who hold the creative potential for their country… The potential to positively change the direction of Uganda.

Just one dance move at a time.