Keiga Dance Company and Sebunjo Bring their Magic to National Theatre

It's "live time" at the National Theatre, on January, Friday 22^nd to Sunday 24^th 2010 in Without Borders, a contemporary dance performance without limitations featuring our own Joel Sebunjo (pictured) with live music.

Organised by  Keiga Dance Company with support from Alliance Française de Kampala Uganda, this is a performance that all dance lovers will gladly relish. As The New Vision reports, the company is "unpredictable in its composition" and you know nothing is as exhilarating as the element of surprise in any artistic creation or performance.

Sebunjo, who's a main feature, is that World Music-ian prodigy you cannot afford to miss! Armed with a musicology degree (he majored in Ethnomusicology –the study of world cultures and their music), a voice to match and dexterous at playing percussion instruments of all modes, Bunjo as he's popularly known among his bulk of fans, is a sensation here and abroad.

Sebunjo and his threesome band (Sundiata) have performed in Finland, Sweden, Kenya, Belgium, Estonia, England, Hong Kong, China, Rwanda, Taiwan and in many West African countries where he has been chanced to share a stage with sensational world musicians like Salif Keita, Etran Finatawa, Yossou N'Dour,Cheb Kaled, Ba Cissoko, Didier Awadi,  Toumani Diabate, Oliver Mtukudzi, Jalibah Kouyateh, not forgetting Swedish star Alle Moller.

He learnt his trade from his grand father, a court musician then, and was later apprenticed to masters of Ganda royal court music like Dr. Albert Ssempele, Busuulwa Katambula, and Ludoviko Serwanga. He went on to draw further inspiration particularly from West Africa's traditional folk music greats. He likes to brag about how in Gambia he met his icon, Alagi Mbye who helped him become a master Kora player.

All this pretty has much to do with the feel of his music which is expressed largely through instruments but is difficult to express with words. The rhythm and style of his music varies; he sings in Luganda and Wolof of Senegal, Mandinka (Gambia/Guinea) which explains the diversity of his repertoire.

And because he plays the Kora, bow lyre, xylophone, 4-hole bamboo flute, conical drums, tube fiddle, thumb piano, drums, and other native instruments from East and West Africa, Sebunjo's acoustic sound –an African touch of folk, jazz and blues –always  enters fresh into the ears of his fans.

Arguably no one has popularized Uganda's folk music like Sebunjo. He has performed with popular afro-jazz groups like Baxmba Waves and is a darling of many at Alliance Française concerts and at Ndere Centre where he performs occasionally. His music illuminates the cross-cultural diversity in Africa and he's arguably Uganda's star of "playing live."

So this weekend (Friday-Sunday) at the National Theatre, 7pm, Main Auditorium, 10.000 shillings, come and watch a performance to remember. Come and see a contemporary dance performance without limitations to dance technique –featuring Joel Sebunjo –fusing the best of live music, instruments and traditions.

Hilarious January at the National Theatre

The Obsessions in a hilarious farce, Tears of my Soul (see one of the scenes in the picture) in the Main Auditorium on the weekend of 8^th -10^th and then on 15^th to 17^th January 2010. Two shows on each occasion; 3pm and 7pm for 10.000 shillings each.

Don't miss the premier of Ekimyanso Mu Mukwano, a film by the Uganda Federation of Movie Industry. It will be in the Main Auditorium, at 7p.m., and its free of charge. Loosely translated as The Blindness the film comes with English subtitles for those who don't comprehend Luganda. It's a powerful movie that revolves around themes of betrayal in relationships and the ramifications that come with revenge.

Monday nights, as usual, is for Jam Session. Fresh packages and a whole remix of spirited performances. Don’t miss! 7pm. Free! Great snacks, great drinks!

Percussion Discussion every Tuesday 8:30 pm. For only 5,000shillings get to enjoy live performances with an authentic African touch!

Meanwhile Comedy Night has been revitalized! Some new faces, great skits, more professionalism, don't miss –every Thursday, 8:30 pm, National Theatre Gardens. It's free as long as you pay 5000 shillings!

On the weekend of 22^nd to 24^th January 2010, the Keiga Dancers are back at the National Theatre Main Auditorium with great body movements and unrivalled choreography. 7pm. Main auditorium. 10.000 shillings only.

And the Latin Flavour will intoxicate you, baby! The rumba, the classic waltz, the foxtrot, mention it! Sensual dancing at its best. If you love the BBC Entertainment's Strictly Come Dancing, you will certainly fall for these great dances to. Come and enjoy a mesmerizing experience at only 5,000 shillings. In the Main Auditorium. 7pm.

The Latin Flavour is followed by the Bonfire. We are talking poetry at its best, gymnastics, story-telling, b-balling, hip-hop, traditional dances, riddles, hilarious drama skits (see picture), and all for free. Every Wednesday 8:30 pm. Don't miss the lyrical Curious and Ugly Emcee and his band of creative spirits

Who said you had no entertainment plot this January!

Uganda National Contemporary Ballet Ends the Year in Style

The place to be tomorrow at 7p.m, is the Uganda National Theatre where the Uganda National Contemporary Ballet (UNCB) will be crowning the year in style. Just so you don't know, this ensemble has played probably the greatest role in popularizing modern/contemporary dance in Uganda.
  
When professional French choreographer and dancer, Valérie Miquel, accepted to participate in a 2007 dance project organized by  Alliance Française in partnership with the Uganda German Cultural Society, little did she know that she would set precedence that would redefine the way Ugandans view contemporary dance.

After a two-week workshop with 12 professional dancers from Uganda, two riveting choreographic productions themed Black/White and Memories of Child Soldiers, were presented at Ndere Centre on September 16^th, 2007. The success of the performance inspired Valerie to stay and form the Burudani Dance Company which switched name to Uganda National Contemporary Ballet on March last year.

Comprising Valerie Miquel, Patrick Kaddu, Desire Tedeka, Abdul Muyingo, Nassif Wambogo, Peter Kalifa, Roger Masaba, Brovin Kato, Mike Gaalala Kaddu, Suzan Kyomugisha, Hermann Ssewanyana (of Percussion Discussion), with John Nagenda (Presidential Adviser, Media & Public Relations), the group has been to France and Germany and all over East Africa, enthralling audiences with performances ranging from modern and contemporary to traditional dance, pantomime, Bharata Natyam (Indian Dance), pantomime plus jazz dance and some hip hop moves.

At the Global 2009 SMART Partnership Dialogue in Munyonyo, they presented a special creation that impressed the visiting dignitaries and in September they performed for the international celebration of the Year of the Gorillas at Kololo Airstrip. They also organised "an evening for the child soldiers all over the world" and performed again Memories of Child soldiers in collaboration with Invisible Children in Kampala at the National Theatre.

Being the first International Contemporary Dance Company in Uganda, UNCB have inspired other dance groups like Keiga Dance Company, Yole Dance, Kombat Dancers, Okulamba/MDD, Footsteps Dance Company , Break Dance Project and the In Movement among others, and therefore not only inspired the appreciation and acceptance of modern dance in Uganda but have tremendously raised the bar in terms of diversity and quality.

It's because of this and largely because its part of its mandate to encourage and nurture cultural and artistic activities that the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) offered its Dance Studio as rehearsal space to the group. The National Theatre is today their home for they have performed here every last Tuesday of the month with Percussion Discussion Africa.

When John Nagenda was celebrating his 71^st birthday, UNCB  honoured him with a special performance, Harmony. Obviously, he was delighted. He gushed in one of his Sunday Vision columns: "It was so serene a piece that while it was danced, with lights against darkness, I was minded to myself becoming more harmonious in outlook…"

The same piece will be performed along with other new creations tomorrow. For those fascinated by body movements and those curious about contemporary dance, the day to remember is Wednesday 16^th December 2009 when UNCB crowns 2009 in style with a couple of performances that include Waiting Room, Dialogue (performed at the SMART Partnership Dialogue), The Bench, not forgetting For A Better Uganda.

The show will take place in the National Theatre main auditorium and entrance fee is 10,000shillings but students will pay half that. There's also a special offer whereby if you come with five friends, you enter for free and your friends pay only 5,000 each. Catch you there!