By Our Reporter
It took a live chicken, a tuktuk, heartbreak, culture, humour and three rounds of relentless competition to finally separate Uganda’s best dance crew from the rest.
The Tusker Lite Neon Raves national finale, held on Saturday at Next Media Park, lived up to months of anticipation, bringing together 18 dance crews from Hoima, Masaka, Mbarara, Arua, Gulu and Kampala for a showdown that pushed creativity, storytelling and choreography to remarkable heights.
The finalists, who had emerged as the top three crews from their respective regional competitions, arrived with one mission: leave everything on the stage.
They did exactly that.
Long before the first performance, the crews had spent days in camp at Nyungu Ya Mawe, undergoing mentorship sessions with some of Uganda’s most respected dance figures, including Tusker Lite influencers DVD Afroking and Dance Mamweta, alongside members of the renowned Trojans Dance Crew and other industry mentors. The camp sharpened choreography, refined performances and prepared the dancers for the biggest stage of the competition.
When the lights came on, there were no half measures.
One crew walked onto the stage carrying a live chicken as part of a symbolic performance. Costumes, props and elaborate stagecraft transformed every routine into theatre, with the dancers tackling themes that ranged from heartbreak and identity to cultural pride, community, tradition and the importance of mentoring the boy child.
Judging the spectacle was a distinguished panel comprising Dance Mamweta, DVD Afroking, Roy Tumwizire and Gaetano Kaggwa, each bringing a unique perspective on dance, creativity and performance.
According to Roy Tumwizire, what ultimately distinguished the strongest performances went beyond technical ability. “The crews that stood out were the ones that remained united throughout their routines. We looked at originality, audience engagement, storytelling and how well every member contributed to the performance. The best teams didn’t just dance; they connected with everyone watching.”
Among the night’s standout performers was RP Dance Crew from Kasubi, whose emotionally charged routine explored heartbreak, healing and learning to love again. Their performance drew sustained applause and had all four judges on their feet.
Then came VBD Dance Crew.
The Kampala-based crew recreated scenes from the Oscar-winning Indian film RRR, complete with a Luganda video jockey, the globally acclaimed Naatu Naatu soundtrack and, remarkably, a tuktuk that rolled onto the stage as part of the performance. The ambitious production blurred the lines between dance and theatre, earning some of the loudest reactions of the evening.
“You could put that performance on any stage around the world and it would still be outstanding,” remarked one guest, himself a dancer, moments after the routine ended.
From Arua, Black Dancers quietly built momentum throughout the competition. Their performances fused popping, breakdancing and contemporary choreography with subtle nods to West Nile culture, creating routines that were polished, measured and deeply engaging. They emerged as one of the competition’s surprise packages.
Masaka’s Ve Dancers, the only all-female crew among the finalists, also left a lasting impression. Led by the energetic Faithful Kibuuka, who has been dancing for just two years, the group captivated audiences with a playful yet emotionally layered performance about infidelity, proving both technically accomplished and theatrically confident.
The finale itself reflected the diversity of Uganda’s dance culture. Music ranged effortlessly from soukous and Afrobeat to amapiano, hip hop and local classics, including Suuna Ben’s Binyanyanyanya, ensuring every region found its rhythm on the national stage.
When the final scores were announced, VBD Dance Crew were crowned national champions, with Black Dancers finishing as first runners-up and Ve Dancers claiming second runners-up.
Perhaps the night’s most touching moment came not from the judges’ table, but from the competitors themselves. As VBD’s name was announced, the loudest cheers came from fellow dancers, many of whom had already been eliminated earlier in the competition. It was a reminder that while only one crew could take home the title, the Neon Raves had fostered a community built on mutual respect and shared passion.
Beyond the competition itself, the Neon Raves reflected a broader shift in Uganda’s creative landscape, where dance is increasingly emerging as a serious cultural and economic force. Once largely confined to music videos and stage performances, dance has grown into an industry of its own, fuelled by social media, live entertainment and a new generation of choreographers and performers who are turning their craft into careers.
It is this evolution that Tusker Lite sought to tap into through the Neon Raves. Rather than simply sponsoring performances, the brand created a platform that travelled across the country, giving dancers from different regions the opportunity to compete, receive mentorship, gain national exposure and connect with the wider entertainment industry.
Sandra Againe, the Tusker Lite Brand Manager, said the decision to invest in dance was rooted in the belief that creativity deserves platforms that allow it to flourish. “Dance is one of the purest forms of self-expression. It tells stories, celebrates identity and brings communities together in a way that few art forms can. Across every region we visited, we found young people using dance not just as entertainment, but as a language of confidence, resilience and creativity. Neon Raves was our way of recognising that movement, creating opportunities for dancers and celebrating a culture that continues to shape how young Ugandans express themselves.”
She added that the competition was never intended to end with a trophy. “Our hope is that the conversations, collaborations and opportunities created through Neon Raves continue long after the finale. If more dancers are discovered, more careers are built and more people begin to see dance as a profession worthy of investment, then we’ve achieved something meaningful.”
From Hoima to Masaka, Mbarara, Arua, Gulu and Kampala, the Neon Raves unearthed remarkable talent and celebrated the many ways Ugandans tell stories through movement.
On Saturday night, that journey reached its conclusion. It was a finale of blood, sweat and emotion. A night of outrageous props, daring choreography and unforgettable performances. And when the lights finally dimmed at Next Media Park, VBD Dance Crew stood alone as Uganda’s newest champions, but every crew left knowing they had helped elevate dance from competition to culture.