Young ambassadors for the culture of Uganda

They range in age from 13 to 21, and many are from among Uganda's estimated 2.7 million orphans, casualties of civil war and AIDS. But when the 21 young performers of "The Spirit of Uganda" take the stage of Babson College's Carling-Sorenson Theater on Sunday, audiences are likely to see them not as victims, but rather as radiant ambassadors for Ugandan culture.

The young dancers, drummers, and singers celebrate cultural traditions from more than 50 East African ethnic groups. In addition to traditional music and dances dating back centuries, they perform works that reflect contemporary Ugandan culture, including a duet in which a young boy of today tries to negotiate whether he can be good and cool at the same time, and the pop hit "Obangaina," featuring the song's original vocalist from the band Afrigo, guest artist Rachel Magoola (...)

[Read By Karen Campbel's full article]
Published by The Boston Globe, March 7th, 2014.