Rwandan National Ballet: Meet The Urukerereza

The Urukerereza National Ballet, founded in 1974, lives up to its name ("he who entertains till dawn") by dedicating itself to preserving, studying, and sharing Rwandan cultural heritage through folklore, traditional dance, and other performance forms.

Urukerereza unites diverse Rwandan artists, young & old, from all provinces & Kigali, to showcase vibrant dances, songs & music.

The Urukerereza most famous dances include the traditional warrior dance umuhamirizo, the slow and elegant female dance umushagiriro, and the well-known Umurishyo w'ingoma (Royal drums).

In Rwanda's past, drums weren't just instruments; they were powerful symbols of the King's authority.

They boomed announcements and embodied national pride. Today, while the while the drums of Urukerereza don't hold that same political weight, they still play a vital role.

The inanga, accompanies various dances and can also be played during solo songs.
The performer remains seated while they play, resting the inanga vertically on their lap. The inanga is a pentatonic instrument which means not all of the six to nine strings are used.  

The horns and flute are also musical instruments that play a great role in directing the rhythm of the warrior dancers Intore. The melody of the horns announce the arrival of Intore on stage before or during a performance.