SPLA : Portal to cultural diversity
Cultures-Uganda

Robert Ssempijja

  • Robert Ssempijja
Dancer
Principal country concerned : Column : Dance
Uganda

Ssempijja Robert was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1994.  He was always a mover but did not realize he was a dancer until he was 12 years old when he was given the opportunity to be in a dance club at Bat valley Primary School.  His life was changed forever.  Robert immediately became interested in learning different dance forms, and took a particular interest in traditional dance.  As he learned more, he brought his experiences and knowledge with him and passed it along to other dancers and youth wherever he moved to.  In 2008, Robert joined the traditional dance group, Sauti Africa.  He trained and performed with this company until late 2012.  Robert started learning break-dancing at the age of 14 with Bavabuka All Stars Foundation.  He then started training and teaching dance at Amagezi Gemaany Youth Association (AGYA)Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) also played a large part in Robert's dance life, That is where he trained the hardest in break dancing,He also facilitated adance  and arts workshop with youths and their grandmothers at called Grand mothers beyond boarders, He also spent two facilitating a workshop in Lake Victoria among the youths affected by AIDs ,this organization is called Edge. From there Robert moved on to co-creating a new organization, Gujja Ting African Art (GTAA).  He started a small dance company of ten, 10-14 year olds.  He teaches them traditional, contemporary, and break dancing as well as choreographs for their performances.  Robert is the program coordinator at GTAA, and facilitates many workshops for youth every week, as well as working with international volunteers and dancers.  In 2012, Robert was accepted to be a part of the Ugandan National Contemporary Ballet.  He trained and performed with them throughout Kampala.  Along with the great artists at the National Contemporary Ballet, In 2013, He started a dance company called Manbya dance company where he works as adancer and assistant director too, he was also invited to cerograph apiece about child sacrifice at kyampisis child care ministries where his works where admired and he became a dance teacher their upto now, Robert has worked with many international choreographers such as, Olivier Tarpaga (Burkina Faso/USA), Laura Kolar (US), and Abrams Tekya (Uganda),Jennifer Irons(UK),Samuel Lutaya(Uganda) ,Valerie Miquel(France,Uganda) ,Robert works hard to achieve his dream of having a career as a dancer and plans to keep learning, teaching, and working hard both at home and abroad until he gets there. 

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Guerrilla Arts
  • HOT
  • Bayimba
  • Uganda Women Writers Association
  • Arts 256
  • 32º East
  • Amakula Festival

With the support of