Intore
Inscribed in 2024 (19.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
© Ministère de l'Unité National et de l'Engagement Civique (MINUBUMWE); The Office o the Government Spokesperson (OGS); IGHE Ltd., Rwanda, 2023 Intore is a Rwandan dance performed by a troupe. The dancers are arranged in lines representing the ranks of warriors on a battlefield. Through their movements, they mimic a battle with an invisible adversary, leaping and wielding their spears and shields to the rhythm of the traditional drums and horns. They are supported by songs and poems of triumph and strength. Intore dancers were traditionally chosen by their leaders to undergo training in an institution known as Itorero, where they learned cultural values, governance principles, public speaking skills, traditional games and other performing arts. Today, the practice is widespread. Alongside the national ballet, which is a practice on a nationwide scale, other dance troupes are dispersed across the country. Training sessions are regularly organized by schools and universities. The practice is also transmitted within families and communities. An expression of victory and power, the Intore dance is at the centre of community events and festivities, including weddings, the reception of distinguished guests, and the harvest festival. The establishment of dance organizations and the coordination of festivals and cultural events around the dance have played an important role in promoting the social cohesion of Rwandans.
