At the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), a group of teenagers from the Youth Arts Academy at the Billie Holiday Theater in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, recently engaged in a hands-on lesson in traditional Ugandan dance. Under the guidance of Stephen Rwangyezi, director of Uganda’s Ndere Troupe, the students practiced the bakisimba, a dance deeply rooted in cultural history and symbolism.

The bakisimba involves a distinctive pendular hip movement, accompanied by steady footwork and calm, outward-facing hand gestures. The dance, traditionally associated with fertility and peace, trains dancers to relax their hip joints—a motion said to be beneficial during childbirth—while signaling serenity rather than aggression. As Rwangyezi explained, the dance’s rhythmic hip oscillations cannot be performed under stress, emphasizing the connection between physical expression and emotional state.

The Ndere Troupe, which Rwangyezi founded in 1984, aims to preserve this and other traditional dances as a form of cultural education and empowerment. Speaking about the troupe’s origins, Rwangyezi recalled facing significant challenges, including losing his teaching job over accusations of promoting satanic practices and drawing only a small audience for their first performance. Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of these dances as repositories of knowledge, describing them as “great books” that store the history and values of various Ugandan tribes.

The performance at BAM is part of this weekend’s DanceAfrica festival, an event celebrating the continent’s diverse cultural heritage through music and dance. This year’s program, curated by DanceAfrica artistic director Abdel R. Salaam, spotlights East African traditions, specifically Ugandan dances. Salaam highlighted the relative scarcity of East African representation in American cultural events, compared to the prominence of West African dance, and sought to broaden audiences’ understanding of African heritage by focusing on Uganda. “These cultures have a down-home, gut thing,” he said, referencing East Africa’s role in the origins of humankind and social unity.

The Youth Arts Academy students have participated in DanceAfrica annually since 1997. Karen Thornton, the academy’s dance director, noted the program’s impact on broadening the students’ perspectives and fostering respect for elders and traditions. She observed that exposure to African culture through movement helps dispel negative stereotypes and builds pride among young participants. Students, including longtime dancer Skyler Dias, 17, described the experience as a meaningful continuation of family and community legacy.

Rehearsals culminated in a lively session where Ndere musicians increased the tempo and dancers, both teachers and students, moved in unison, blending education and celebration. Toward the end, students demonstrated a variety of Ugandan dance styles, including the athletic men’s dances, with Rwangyezi promising further opportunities for involvement. The engagement concluded with embraces between students and instructors, underscoring the communal spirit fostered through the shared cultural exchange.

DanceAfrica at BAM continues through the weekend, offering audiences an immersive encounter with Uganda’s rich dance traditions and the broader narratives of African culture they embody.