THE RED BULL MEDIA HOUSE PRESENTS:

 ”BOUNCING CATS”

A Visionary Artistry Mag Exclusive

Visionary Artistry Mag attended a screening  for the movie “Bouncing Cats,” an emotional story about one man taking the art of break dancing and using it to heal an entire nation.

The movie, produced by Red Bull Media House tells a story of African children residing in Uganda, one of the worst places for youngsters to live, and the problems that they are faced with. Film Director Nabil Elderkin, paints a picture of children having to deal with violence, poverty and disease on a regular basis. In Uganda there are people living without running water or proper sanitation, innocent people are killed and have their limbs or facial features amputated. Children are abducted and transformed into child soldiers and 12 and 13 year old girls are raped and some even forced into marriages.

 The children had no outlet from the deplorable conditions that they encounter on a daily basis. That is until Abraham “Abramz” Tekya took action. Tekya is the director and founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (B.P.U.). The organization, founded in 2006, was formed to encourage empowerment and to bring about social change. Tekya decided to share the art of break dancing as well as other hip-hop elements so that they could serve as therapy for the children in Africa.

“My dancing as a kid was just for the love of it but as an adult I decided to use it to empower and uplift individuals and communities,” Tekya explains. “I discovered the strength and importance of art in transforming people’s lives. I use it to give them something positive to look up to,” said Tekya who was an AIDS orphan and can relate to the struggle of the children.
 

Cameras follow Crazy Legs, a b-boy from the Bronx who was instrumental in spreading knowledge of the Hip-Hop dance movement, and Tekya on their journey throughout Uganda as they conduct workshops to teach the children breakdance moves.

The film is powerful and thought-provoking; it forces you to re-evaluate your position in life. There are so many things that we take for granted that the children of Uganda have never experienced, such as having three meals a day or access to clean drinking water. According to the “Bouncing Cats,” official website, many of the children are homeless and cannot afford an education but they walk for miles to attend workshops on breakdancing. Tekya teaches classes three times a week to more than 300 kids in all parts of the country. The film is narrated by Rapper Common and includes guest appearances from Mos Def, Will.i.am and K’Naan.
For more information: www.bouncingcats.com

Contact Abramz Tekya (founder and director) for more information about the project or booking the dancers for workshops and shows. Tel: (+256) 0712-816617
Email: breakdanceuganda@yahoo.com or  tekyabra@yahoo.com
 

www.myspace.com/breakdanceprojectuganda
www.youtube.com/abramzt

-Jaya Franklin

Popularity: 1% [?]