New dance contest seeks to professionalise industry, preserve culture

Byina Rwanda, a new national dance competition aimed at promoting dance as a professional career, preserving Rwanda's cultural heritage and creating employment opportunities for young people, is set to debut this August. Organised by RG Consult with support from the National Culture Centre and the Federation of Dance, the competition will bring together dancers from across the country while providing a platform to nurture talent and strengthen Rwanda's creative industry. According to Remmy Lubega, the visionary behind the initiative, dance remains a vital part of Rwanda's cultural identity while continuing to evolve through contemporary styles such as Afrobeat, Amapiano, Salsa, Zumba and breakdance. Lubega told The New Times that the competition was conceived to address the limited opportunities available to dancers despite the sector's growing popularity and economic potential. Dance is one of the professions that has been left behind, yet it is central to Rwanda's culture and is increasingly embraced by young people, he said. ALSO READ: Is Dance Profitable in Rwanda? The initiative aims to raise standards in choreography, storytelling, costume design and stage production. Dance is not just about movement. It involves creativity, fashion, makeup, storytelling and production, meaning it supports an entire creative ecosystem, he said. He noted that strengthening the dance industry could generate significant employment opportunities, particularly for young people, given its relatively low barriers to entry compared to many other creative sectors. As an example of the industry's economic potential, Lubega pointed to Rwanda's thriving wedding sector, where traditional dance troupes are regularly hired to perform. Beyond live performances, he said, dance has also become a major driver of digital content creation, with dance challenges attracting millions of views on social media and creating new income opportunities through content monetisation. According to the organisers, the competition also aims to unite the next generation of Rwandan dancers while celebrating the country's rich cultural heritage and the growing influence of contemporary dance styles. They describe the initiative as a platform that will connect dancers, choreographers, directors, dance instructors, costume designers, makeup artists and other professionals across Rwanda's creative industry. The inaugural edition of Byina Rwanda will take place from August 15 to 17 at Mundi Centre in Kigali. The competition will feature three categories namely Traditional Cultural Dance, which showcases Rwanda's traditional dances and formations and Contemporary Creative Dance, a fusion of traditional and modern styles with an emphasis on storytelling and thematic performances. It will also feature Urban and Modern Dance which includes styles such as Afrobeat, Amapiano, Kizomba, Salsa, Zumba, breakdance, ballroom dances and other contemporary genres. ALSO READ: Rwanda's dancing gorilla photo scoops global award Registration is free and will remain open until July 22. Solo dancers, duos and groups are eligible to apply by completing an online registration form and submitting a short performance video for preliminary selection. Successful applicants will advance to auditions on August 15, followed by the semi-finals on August 16 and the grand finale on August 17. The overall winner will receive a Rwf5 million cash prize. Organisers will also introduce public voting, with part of the proceeds directed to participating dancers to help cover rehearsal costs, costumes and other competition-related expenses. Although this is the competition's inaugural edition, Lubega said the long-term vision is to expand it to all districts before culminating in a national grand finale once additional sponsorship is secured. Future plans include establishing dance studios for winners, organising professional training boot camps led by experienced choreographers, improving transport support for dance groups, and connecting outstanding performers with international dance competitions. We wanted to start with a proof of concept, Lubega said. Our goal is to build a movement that professionalises dance, creates jobs for young people and positions Rwanda as a regional hub for dance and creative performance. Organisers also envision Byina Rwanda evolving into a platform through which brands can engage with Rwanda's growing youth creative community while supporting the continued development of the country's performing arts sector.

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New dance contest seeks to professionalise industry, preserve culture