Sosolya Undugu Dance Academy

what we do

Our work

Sosolya Undugu Family Academy (S.O.U.F.A) is a community based organisation founded by L. Mark Mugwanya in 1993. With the aim of transforming vulnerable children and youth into self sustaining profesionals, S.O.U.F.A was initiated in Undugu Family In 2009, and in February 2017 SOUFA was officially registered as a charity non-profit organisation. Undugu Family is a movement that unites all people dispite their tribes, religion or origin for peace, prosperity and humanity, it was found by Tanzanian Catholic Jesuit priest Rev.Br.Steven Amani Msele.

Home

S.O.U.F.A provides a sense of belonging for over 304 children, 2 meals a day and shelter for 152 children and youth. For over 29 years we are recognised by the community as a safe haven where children feel safe and loved.

Family

S.O.U.F.As conviction is that all human beings are brothers and sisters with God as their common parent. Undugu is a swahili word that means brotherhood/sisterhood.

Education

S.O.U.F.A. provides school fees and supplies in addition to an artistic education in traditional Ugandan music, dance and drama.

Performing arts

Music and Dance

Watching S.O.U.F.A perform is like taking a relaxing trip across the African continent and being treated simply as a true child of God (Good and source of all goodness). That is the Undugu family experience Sosolya wishes you to share with them at your next celebration. As a gateway to apreciate our diversity yet celebrate our true being as children of one parent God who is ever present, everlasting, good and source of all goodness, we connect all children of God as brothers and sisters as we contribute to the restoration of our diverse cultures through the celebration of each others tribal music, dance, drumming, drama story telling and other forms of art. S.O.U.F.A performs at local and international festivals, weddings and other coorporate events. Our repertoire of mainly traditional ugandan music comes from various tribes and is telling their stories through songs, drum rythms, and dance movement. By passing on these abilities to play instruments, songs and dances to the young talents, the unique Ugandan culture can be preserved.

Instruments

Drums of various types and sizes – ranging from the mighty mujjaguzzo, Batimbo (royal celebrations) through embuutu, empunyi, engalabi, namunjoloba.
Melodic percussion instruments – including balafons (amadinda, akadinda, endaala) and thumb piano (akogo)
String instruments, including one stringed tube fiddle (endingidi) and adungu played in ensembles of at least four different sizes – soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Their sounds are scintillating and interact with nature at ease.

Dances

Our versatile students, artists learn and celebrate human happiness through a seemingly endless repertoire of dances that they ebulliently execute using different parts of body, such as: stamping dances, hip dances, arm dances and abdominal dances.

Cultural Exchange

Sosolya Undugu family takes part in different cultural exchange activities localy by hosting groups or individual international volunteers, musicians, dancers, actors e.t.c additionaly on invitation we have groups between 12 years and above that engage in international tours to promote Ugandan culture, and most of all the spirit of Undugu Familyhood, These exchanges involve custom made workshops and perfomances focussed mainly on Peace, tolerance, children rights, climate justice e.t.c.