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SUMMARY:Media influences in contemporary Rwandan dance performances  - Dr 
 Carine Plancke (University of Roehampton)
DTSTART:20151116T170000Z
DTEND:20151116T180000Z
UID:TALK61752@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Victoria Jones
DESCRIPTION:In contemporary Rwandan society\, a revitalisation of so-calle
 d ‘traditional’ dances can be observed which manifests in the prolifer
 ation of youth dance troupes\, especially in urban areas. This revival is 
 part of the drive that has characterised Rwanda to reconstruct itself afte
 r the tragedy of the 1994 genocide. Since reaching power by putting an end
  to the genocide\, the Rwandan Patriotic Front has undertaken the project 
 of constructing a ‘New Rwanda’ on the basis of national unity. This ne
 w nation is conceived as a modern nation\, which strives for socio-economi
 c development and progressively enters into the global market economy. Cul
 tural heritage is integrated in this undertaking to create a unified and d
 eveloped Rwanda. The performance arts\, in particular traditional dances\,
  are highly promoted by the government as means to represent and embody a 
 new\, dynamic nation that nevertheless remains rooted in the country’s p
 ast. This presentation examines the transformations that mark contemporary
  Rwandan dance performances within this socio-political context. It focuse
 s on the Inganzo Ngari dance troupe\, which is currently considered the be
 st of its kind in Kigali and serves as a model for the numerous other burg
 eoning troupes throughout the country. Particular attention is given to th
 e media influences that can be observed in the troupe’s performances and
 \, especially\, to the impact coming from other cultural traditions\, nota
 bly Chinese folkloric dances\, accessed through the internet\, and from vi
 deoclips of Rwandan or other pop artists. It is advanced that these influe
 nces strongly contribute to transform the dance performances into dynamic\
 , visually attractive and highly perfected shows able to convey the image 
 of a new nation that moves forward without losing its cultural identity.
LOCATION:Seminar Room S1 Alison Richard Building\, 7 West Road\, Cambridge
  CB3 9DT
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