Written in November 2017
I have been in so many different discussions with fellow dancers about how help or developing our dance community in Uganda, we always have different views on what are the problems of the community, where we always talk about our problems but not the solutions, where we talk about what needs to be done but not doing it, and in those discussions some of the elders or leaders always think that they’re smarter than everyone and try by all means to show us how intelligent they are by writing or speaking very bombastic words.
But During one discussion where I had just been following not participating and where I was just seeing people defancing themselves and going around. Someone mentioned said:
“We Need to focus and build an umbrella for the community”
And it made me think:
It would be a positive thing that would have my support because I’ve been to countries where they already have a functional “umbrella” and it is really powerful and very positive for many artists.
But I have one big worry, which is the same worry (or question if you’d like) I get when I hear people talk about Africa Unit. It could or can be a good thing because together we are strong. But that will depend on which leaders we choose to lead us and the unit. So who are they? Our leaders?
The ones we choose to lead Africa Unite and the ones to lease the umbrella in the dance community?
There is an old saying that goes like this: “The same system cannot fix the same system”. So to create change are we able to keep the leaders we have today? The ones who have made a great impact in the dance community, both negative and positive. The ones who we now see as self-centered, selfish, self-reliance and extremely individualistic to the point where it’s killing their art and work? Many of them now want to be seen as “small God’s” and if you disagree with them you will be on their bad side and not getting any more work. You will be considered to be a threat and talked about as a bad influence. They will demand respect, but don’t practice respect for others. Is that the good example of leadership that we will need to see forming an Umbrella in the dance community? An Umbrella which is there to promote art and artists if any kind and level. Will it even work?
The current leadership makes me sad. Because they have many young artists who look up to them and followed their lead but are often treated badly and not supported enough to reach their own full potential. I also look up to our leaders sometimes and I have examples of both positive and negative things they’ve done. I replay respect what they’ve done for the community, no doubt about that. But I believe that we have to make changes if we want to go forward and build a strong community that will outlive ourselves. But the current leaders will probably have a strong impact on the change if they would like too since they are very experienced and have had a good time in this industry already which most of us only have started on.
Anyway let me stop here coz I think I can spend the whole day talking about this but you would still disagree or agree with me.