Ghetto Kids, the face of Uganda’s Street Dance

Ghetto Kids, the Face of Uganda’s Street Dance: These gifted young dancers are from Kampala, Uganda’s ghettos. Dancer and choreographer Kavuma from Uganda started “The Ghetto Kids” in 2013. The mission of Kavuma was to give impoverished kids a stage on which to display their abilities and turn their lives around. When their 2014 “Sitya loss” went viral, they were first recognised internationally. Uganda’s Ghetto Kids proved as much at the 2023 Britain’s Got Talent competition, proving that Africa is a powerhouse continent with unrealised potential.

The six children in the group stunned the Britain has Got Talent(BGOT) audience even though they had lived in the vast Kampala slums. They put on one of the greatest dance performances ever, despite coming from a modest background. Bruno, one of the judges, gave them a golden buzzer before their show was even finished, becoming the first African children’s act to ever do so.

What makes the Ghetto Kids the Face of Uganda’s Street Dance

The group is noted for blending modern hip-hop with traditional Ugandan dances and lyrics that represent their experiences growing up in the ghettos. The group is noted for their dynamic and upbeat dancing style. Additionally, they qualified for the show’s final straight through winning the most public votes in the semi-final.

This put them in the top 10 acts that have ever participated in the finals. In the championship round, Venn once again dazzled the audience with a routine based on bright apparel. The Norwegian caused a flurry of hilarity among the judges when she persuaded Judge Simon Cowell to wear a high-vis jacket emblazoned with rose petals.

Placed second and third, respectively, were dancer Lilliana Clifton, 13, and magician Cillian O’Connor, 14, Ghetto Kids Act Performing a medley of songs, including Toto’s “Africa,” Tonioli kicked off the evening. Alongside him on the grand finale stage were several young artists.

Not loving the crowd choice, a few people in the audience jeered the results. Interestingly, inspirational dancer Musa Motha—who lost his limb to amputation at the age of 11—and superb opera singer Malakai Bayoh did not place in the top three. Upon declaring he had won this year’s show, Venn seemed shocked. But their Twitter went crazy, and he was jeered by many quarters.

When Viggo Venn was declared the winner of Britain has Got Talent, there seemed to be a lot of boos. He shocked me by being left out of the final three, and everyone seemed to believe the young guy would win. I thought he was fantastic. A little bit of a dejected, depressing finale to the series #BGT2023 #BGT,” a tweet commented. One more said that the BGOT in 2023 was the most chaotic show to ever take place in the UK.

“I will never, ever watch @BGT #BritainsGotTalent again. total chaos, a man rushing around in a tight shirt over so much actual, true talent? The audience’s boos, startled expressions, and sincere tears told it all for me! SHAMBLES,” Observe the tweet.

What is their age bracket?

The six members of Ghetto Kids Uganda range in age from six to thirteen. They are from Kampala, the vast streets and slums. Dauda Kavuma welcomed the six children into the Ghetto Kids Foundation, which he established many years ago to aid underprivileged kids. In his capacity as the group manager’s guardian, he doubles up.

He expressed to the BBC his hope that his organisation will serve as an inspiration to a great number of others facing a variety of life’s obstacles. When Kavuma was only an adolescent, his father passed away, and he turned to the streets to survive. In Kampala City, he sold fruits to cars that were stopped at traffic lights and rummaged through rubbish to locate metal. When he was younger, the 30-year-old had dreams of playing football, but a friend eventually convinced him to give singing a try. Singing gave him so much, and it dawned on him that he could utilise this gift to aid homeless kids.

He expressed optimism to the BBC that his organisation will motivate a great number of others facing adversity in their lives. While Kavuma’s father died while he was only a teenager, he turned to the streets to survive. He picked through garbage in search of scrap and made money by selling fruits to automobiles that were stopped at Kampala City traffic lights. After being convinced to give singing a try by a buddy, the 30-year-old gave up on his childhood dream of being a football player. After realising how much singing could benefit him, he thought about using his gift to aid homeless kids.

According to AFP, he stated, “Most people thought street kids… have no worth in society, but I thought otherwise.” “My inspiration was my love for music and a desire to give back to the society that has supported me through my difficult life,” the author said. “What if I utilise music, dance, and drama to transform the disadvantaged in the ghettos?

“The headquarters of Kavuma’s Ghetto Kids Uganda Foundation are located in a five-bedroom house nestled among the winding alleyways of Makindye. Here, he looks after children who are homeless, orphaned, or from disadvantaged backgrounds, making sure they have clothing, food, shelter, and education.

Music and Dance Style

Following the Face of Uganda’s street dance, the group’s vibrant and energetic dancing style, which combines contemporary hip-hop and Afrobeat with traditional Ugandan dances, has earned them recognition. Their slum upbringing is reflected in the catchy tunes and meaningful lyrics of their songs.

Collaborations and Performances

Besides their street dance performances, renowned musicians including French Montana, Wizkid, and Yemi Alade have worked with The Ghetto Kids in the past. Also, they have staged performances at events including the UNICEF Charity Gala, the Africa Cup of Nations, and the BET Awards.

Social Impact

Due to the group’s success, they are able to provide for their families and communities. They have also launched projects like the Ghetto Kids Dance Academy, which offers impoverished kids free dance instruction.

Challenges

Uganda’s Ghetto Kids have obstacles to overcome despite their achievements, such as inadequate infrastructure and resources. They do, however, still manage to uplift and amuse, and they have intentions to grow their academy and produce more music that highlights Ugandan talent as an example of the strength that comes from ability, perseverance, and hard work. They still provide pride to Uganda, both in the ghettos of Kampala and on the international scene!