Uganda’s acclaimed dance group, Ghetto Kids, who arrived in Rwanda on Sunday for a performance at TEDxKigali, held an interview with The New Times to talk about their dance journey and their unique story.
Ghetto Kids, a group of youngsters aged from six to 13, have been travelling around the world for several performances; from the World Cup in Qatar, a halftime performance at a PSG game in Paris to Britain’s Got Talent in London.
Despite being booked to perform at different events and shows the youngsters note that school is their main priority.
"School is our priority, we dance to go to school,” said 13-year-old Madwanah Ssegirinya also known as King.
The kids who rose to stardom after performing at Britain’s Got Talent AGT), a global weekly talent competition, say the opportunity was a breakthrough and engraved their name on the world stage.
"People used to not know us, but right now they are shouting out our names like everywhere we go,” they said.
Excitedly, King notes that everywhere they go people say "Oh, those are the ghetto kids we saw on BGT, on AGT”
"So we feel so happy and excited and we pray to God that it comes more,” King added.
More to their experience at the BGT, they recall meeting the competition judges who came backstage to meet and greet them after the performance.
"The judges came backstage, so they came to us. For us, we didn't know that we would meet them, but they came themselves,” one of the members said.
Unforgettable experiences
Hailing from Uganda, Ghetto Kids who have been moving around the world consider some experiences to be more memorable than others.
"So we went to the World Cup in Qatar, this last World Cup. We saw Messi, we saw Rashford,” King recalled.
"We met Aguero in person. I danced with him as well. And the next is British Got Talent, then I think America’s Got Talent,” the youngster added.
Coming from different slums to form a family
King said he joined the dance family after his mom passed away leaving two kids behind, his brother, who is also now in the group. He added that they all came from different places without knowing each other before.
"We all came from different ghettos of Uganda. And right now we are family because of dance,” he noted.
King whose story, after joining the Ghetto Kids, reflects most of the kids’ in the group, said he was happy to join the ‘family’ because he got a chance to go to school and ‘wear good clothes and go to places like Rwanda, America and on big stages’.
Talking to Josephine, who is the youngest in the group, she said that Ghetto Kids meant a lot to her and that in addition to interacting with BGT Judge, Simon Cowell, performing at the competition was amazing.
Fun activities done off-stage
Talking to Akram Muyanja, one of the children who is seen on the frontline in most performances, he said playing football is what most of the boys like to do every time they have no performances and school.
As for the girls, cooking and playing basketball is what they do.
Ghetto Kids who are in Rwanda for the third time, say that the country’s Mountains and Gorillas are some of the things they admire about the country.
Message to young Africans who want to pursue a career in dancing
"All I want to say to you is that keep praying, keep dreaming, dream big, and pray to God, respect elders, and the parents don't sit on the children's talent.”