Intore dancers have gained a worldwide status of fame and have become an indispensable part of the Rwandan culture and tradition. The Intore dancers gained popularity in the year 1958 during the World Expo which was held in Brussels. This form of traditional Rwanda ballet is one of the ancient forms of dancing in Africa. The Intore dancing is also known as “warrior dancing”.

The Intore people, who were once regarded as part of the traditional Rwanda army, were not only given military training but also taught the technique of high jumps and dancing. They were known for their outstanding method of jumping with the help of which they could rise up to 2-40 meters from the ground.

There are three main parts of the Rwandan ballet which comprise of Ingoma, Intore dancers and the songs. During the performance, Intore dancers, especially men wear grass wigs and have spears in their hands. They wear little bells on each foot which gives a rhythm to the entire background music. The theme of the performance is the celebration of victory in a battle which is depicted through the medium of dancing. The Intore dancers move sideways combining difficult choreography and grace with a raw aggressiveness in their expressions. At one point, the dancers stop, with stretched arms and give out blood-curdling battle cries. Throughout the ballet, physical quarrel between the dancers turns into a form of artistic rivalry and at the end of the performance they hug each other as a symbol of friendship.

The most common traditional battles include Tutsi, Hutu and Twa fights against a familiar opponent. The performance of Intore dancers is always associated with the idea of power, raw masculinity, aggressiveness and yet as a tradition of the cultural heritage of Rwanda. 

But the way Rwandan women dance is very graceful, the dance like birds in the sky and with their beaitiful clothes and smiles they touch your heart with their movements.

Rwanda Dancing – Intore, 9.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating

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