After more than four months of rehearsals, Rwanda’s Intayoberana Cultural Troupe is preparing to stage its seventh major cultural concert, “Gira u Rwanda,” at Kigali Serena Hotel on Saturday, July 25. The show will bring together the troupe’s children’s, women’s and men’s groups in a production organizers describe as their most ambitious yet. Built around traditional dance, music and storytelling, the concert is designed to showcase Rwanda’s cultural heritage in front of a live audience while giving younger performers a chance to learn from the troupe’s long-standing work. ALSO READ: Ubumuntu Arts Festival closes with call for healing, investment in creativity Intayoberana vice president Emmanuel Ndayizeye said the concert reflects the group’s broader mission of preserving Rwandan identity and passing it on to the next generation. “We started as just three members and slowly grew into a large cultural troupe,” he said. “Rwandan identity is part of who we are, and we carry it with us wherever we go.” Founded on July 17, 2014, Intayoberana began by blending traditional Rwandan dance with modern and other African styles before narrowing its focus to cultural preservation. ALSO READ: New dance contest seeks to professionalise industry, preserve culture Over the years, it has grown into a larger organisation with separate performance groups for children, women and men. The children’s group is known as Uruyange, the women’s group as Ibirezi and the men’s group as Amasonga. The troupe first drew wider attention after performing alongside singer Butera Knowless during the Primus Guma Guma Super Star competition, a televised music contest that helped introduce the group to a national audience. Since then, Intayoberana has staged six themed productions: Umugani wa Nyabwugu na Nyabucureri, Umwana ni Nkundi - Umwana ni Umutware, Twambaye Ikirezi, Urizihiye Rwanda, Igitaramo Iwacu and Akanigi Kanjye. “Gira u Rwanda” marks its seventh large-scale production. More than dance For member Ivan Nyarwaya, the concert is the result of months of work. He said rehearsals began more than four months ago as the troupe worked to build a show that would feel complete from start to finish. “We have been preparing for this concert for a long time,” he said. “We started rehearsals more than four months ago because we wanted every performance to be special. We have prepared many surprises for the audience.” Nyarwaya said his interest in traditional dance began early, inspired by his father’s love for videos of Intore dancers, the historic Rwandan dance style known for its precise movement, drums and warrior-inspired choreography. He started dancing in Primary One in 2011 and joined Intayoberana when it was founded in 2014. He said the troupe has given him more than performance skills. “I’m happy I started learning culture at a young age because it taught me about our ancestors, the lives they lived and our identity as Rwandans,” he said. That same sense of continuity runs through the experience of Hyguette Umurerwa, who joined the troupe at age 10 and has remained with it through university. “I joined in 2014 when I was still in primary school, and today I have completed university while still being part of the troupe,” she said. “It has been a beautiful journey.” Umurerwa said her interest in traditional dance came from family roots. Her grandparents, who once lived in Burundi, also performed traditional dances. She said Intayoberana helped her carry that legacy forward. “It became part of who I am,” she said. She also pushed back against the idea that traditional dance is only for people with natural talent or endless stamina. “It only feels exhausting to someone who doesn’t enjoy it,” she said. “Once you love it, it becomes part of your life. Four months of preparation may sound long, but for us it is normal because we build every performance step by step. It is not exhausting but full of lessons.” For Umurerwa, those lessons include patience, discipline and confidence. She said the troupe teaches members how to perform, but also how to behave and handle life beyond the stage. “I spend more hours with members of Intayoberana than I do at home,” she said. “We have a coach who teaches us not only how to dance but also how to behave and face real-life challenges.” She said the troupe has opened doors for many members, including young people who may not have imagined dance could lead to opportunities or income. “Intayoberana has helped many of us reach places we never expected to reach,” she said. “Our coach doesn’t only train us to become better dancers but also better people.” The troupe is also encouraging parents to allow children to join cultural groups, saying the experience can help young people develop discipline, identity and practical skills. Umurerwa said children do not need prior experience to start. “Nobody should fear joining because they have never danced before,” she said. “Anyone can learn.” She added that traditional dance can also support young performers financially. “I’m still a student, but dance helps me meet some of my expenses, including transport,” she said. “If you take it seriously, it can become a source of income.” The “Gira u Rwanda” concert begins at 4 p.m. at Kigali Serena Hotel. Advance tickets cost Rwf10,000, Rwf20,000 and Rwf25,000, while a table for eight costs Rwf200,000. At the gate, tickets will cost Rwf15,000, Rwf25,000 and Rwf30,000, with tables priced at Rwf250,000.
