Break Dancers At TAKS (Through Arts Keep Smiling) Center

This is one of the songs they were practicing when we came in:

I stopped by yesterday and interviewed all of the guys to find out a little bit about the group. They were really fun and I think they enjoyed doing this. We talked, laughed, and took pictures after the interviews and they really are a great group of guys. 

Eric Onono 

- Trainer, Choreographer, and Leader (21 years old)

- Has danced his entire life but developed a passion around 7 or 8 years old. 

- Loves school and education, watching movies, playing football (soccer) when not busy dancing, and reading.

- Favorite song to dance to: Sensual Seduction by Snoop Dogg 

- Currently choreographing dances for I Feel the Rain by OJ Maxwell, a local Acholi musician. 

- Hardest struggle: For the general population during the war, Eric said, "People not being able to express themselves was tough because being concentrated was a major challenge. There was no room to dance. Life became survival so people couldn't express their talents." 

Richard Asaba

- Trainer and Choreographer (20 years old)

- Has danced for 10 years.

- Favorite thing to do apart from dancing: Football (soccer).

- Favorite music to dance to: Breakbeats

- Hardest struggle: Growing up with no father because he was taken by the LRA.

- What does break dancing mean to you? “Even if nothing comes from dancing, I will stick with it. I love to teach the younger people. Dancing and laughter for the little ones is the best.”

Erick Okumu

- 19 years old and has been dancing for 5 years.

-Favorite thing to do apart from dancing: “Games, basketball, and volleyball.” He laughed and added. “Any sport except tennis, baseball, and golf.”

- Favorite song to dance to: Famous Girl and Lady Next to You, both by Chris Brown.

- Hardest thing you have gone through: For a year when Erick was younger, he had TB. He told me he was always sick and weak. He said the toughest part had to watch other kids play outside when he couldn’t.

- What does break dancing mean to you? “Everything. When I’m stressed, dancing relieves me of the stress. It makes me relaxed when I’m sad or mad.”

- One message you want to send to people who may read this: “In life, just do anything. Don’t give up on life. If you try at whatever you want to do, one day you will succeed.”

Erique Honicker

- 17 years old and has danced for 4 years.

- His favorite thing to do when not dancing is gardening and art. Erique actually does a lot of the painting that are found throughout the TAKS Center.

- Favorite song to dance to: Next to You by Chris Brown.

- Hardest struggle living in Northern Uganda: “Having to get used to the North.” Erique explained that during the war his mother sent him to Kampala to live with his aunt and he returned 5 five years ago after things were better.

- What does break dancing mean to you? “Makes me forget about problems. It’s a stress reliever.”

- One thing you want to say to the people reading this or that you want to say to the world: “Thanks everyone for the support through the struggles and the war. Whether it was food, water, or anything thank you, because my mother was a beneficiary.”

Michael Inman

- Michael is 16 years old and has only danced for one year.

- His favorite thing to do besides dancing is reading.

-Favorite song to dance to: We Found Love by Rihanna.

- Hardest thing you have experienced: Father passing away.

- What does dancing mean to you? “It helps me forget the crazy stuff. It keeps me away from bad things like stealing.”

- What would be one thing you would say to the world? “Everyone is connected. Dreams bring us together, so dream big.”

- I liked that answer so I asked him what his dream is: “To be a famous dancer one day.”

Kennedy Abrahim

- Kennedy is 18 years old and has danced for 9 years.

- Favorite thing to do: Homework, football, basketball, rugby, and he loves books.

- His dream is to one day be an engineer or a dance instructor.

- Favorite song to dance to: Ice Box by Omarion.

- Hardest struggle in life: Losing grandfather in 2006 from an LRA shooting.

- What does dancing mean to you? “Helps me to forget the hard times. By being traumatized by the war, dancing and books can change anything. When the NGOs (non-governmental organizations) were here, they did not see the importance of dance.” I told him a little about how important sports are to me and how much I believe sports and arts can be a peace building tool as much as psychiatry or other mental help strategies. He told me he always thought yoga was a thing for women, but he tried a yoga workshop and realized how much it can help a person mentally.

- One message to send, or something you want the world to know about you: “I love to be encouraged and supported. I hope people like the video you will post.”


Another video featuring a few of the guys:

Seeing these young guys dance was really awesome in the sense that break dancing is simply impressivein itself. In another way though, it's touching because of what these kids and community have gone through in the past. Doing flips and handstands does not come in just a few days of practice. This is something they have always done no matter what was going on around them during the war. This is encouraging to me because it sends a message that the combination of art, dance, and sport will always be a source of happiness.