The Uganda DanceSport Federation recently held a successful capacity-building camp in Fort Portal Tourism City at Nyakasura School. The camp was the 2nd edition and ran from 10th-14th January 2024. Over 231 students and 57 Physical Education teachers attended and participated in various activities. The camp lasted for four days and saw the participants equipped with technical skills and knowledge in areas such as DJing, Emceeing, DanceSport Judging, Coaching, Media reporting, DanceSport Medics, and Anti Doping lectures. The facilitators were professional Dancers, coaches, and Medical Doctors from Joint Clinical Research Center, a partner member of the Uganda DanceSport federation.
The students were excited about the skills they attained and promised to build a strong DanceSport audience of the current generation, especially in DanceSport discipline. The participants engaged in high-level learning basics in disciplines like Breaking, Popping, Afro, Hip Hop Crews, Latin, and Standard. Every morning, athletes converged for aerobics fitness exercises, which was a great exciting moment for the participants.
Bboy Lussy Sky from Ukraine, one of the top seasoned Break Dancers in the Olympic line to qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics, shared his experience with camp participants and encouraged them to keep good discipline, take care of their health, and work hard to achieve goals for their future. Mannequin aka Popper Midnight Dancer from California in the city of Los Angeles, a legendary popping dancer, also shared with Uganda’s future young generation in the poping scene, encouraging young popping dancers to dance with passion. DJ Bent facilitated the DJs class, Bboy Sherrif led the breaking class, Coach Kendakenda Rashid aka Afro Shid conducted the Afro classes, Popper Racas and Leni spearheaded the popping class, and the General Secretary Mr Ssebuyungo Barnabas was in charge of the Media class. The Medics students’ facilitator was Dr. Yawe Ibrahim from JCRC, assisted by a Kayizi Vincent from Mulago Paramedical School, Mukasa Nathan Mayega a wdsf Licence A Breaking Judge conducted the judging class
The camp was organized under the theme of “Dance Green, Protect the Environment,” with a great aspect of encouraging our athletes to love and protect the environment. All participants were grouped into four groups named environmental components as Team Zeology “study on man and Animals” Team Ecology “Reflecting of Dance about Sights and Sounds” Team Hydrology “in connection with Dance and water” and Team Climatology “Connecting Dance to weather aspect”. The camp ended with hiking at the Mountain ranges of Mountain Rwenzori, visiting Crater Lakes in Mountain Rwenzori like Lake Kigere and Lake Sakka, Nyakasura Falls, Caves of Amabere Ganyina Mwiru, which is the historical place of Bachwezi stated to be the origin of Africa Early Man’s Story.
All camp participants wrote examinations in the field they participated in and were awarded a certificate of participation fully certified by the Uganda DanceSport Federation. Special thanks go to schools, teachers, parents, and UDSF staff members for organizing a memorable camp.
