Dancing Queens

Imagine coming home from school one random Wednesday, only to see your mom who usually is doing her typical domestic duties, dancing, chanting, and cheering with 50 of her closest friends? That’s what the kiddos of Suubi saw Wednesday evening when their moms attending the first ever “Suubi dance class.” It took place right outside the Suubi building on the streets of their village. The dance party lasted 2 hours and drew quite a crowd of nosey neighbors.
Many of these women grew up in the village where the dancing rituals were passed down from mother to daughter. But some of the Suubi women fled from the war against Kony and the rebels as children, so they have never learned how to shake what their mama’s gave them. We will now host weekly dance lessons for the women of Suubi, so they can express themselves in the same way their female ancestors have for centuries.
Our usual encounters with the women are very cordial, polite and proper. During the week we enter their homes, chit-chat about various topics, and occasionally help with their household chores. On Saturdays the women sell us their necklaces, and we get see their pleasant smiles when they count their money or their rolled eyes when we refuse to buy a poorly made necklace. But on Wednesday I got a chance to see a brand new side of these women. It was the pure, unabashed joy that only dancing can create. Big smiles, loud African yodeling (I can’t think of a better way to describe it), and these “moms” were transformed into “divas.” Rebecca, Rachel and I kicked up our heels for a few numbers, but even after over 30 years of dance training between the 3 of us, our bodies just couldn’t move that way.
It was a day that was good for morale. Suubi isn’t just a business. It’s definitely not a hand-out. It’s a community meant to empower women, but that’s not just accomplished with money. Sometimes you just have to dance to feel strong and free.