Organisation Rwandaise pour la Promotion des Arts du Spectacle
Rwandan Organization for the Promotion of Performing arts
Wesley Ruzibiza
Board of Directors
Co-Founder, Chair
Wesley RUZIBIZA first encountered dance and theatre in 2000, at National University of Rwanda where he was pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management. He trained in African Contemporary Dance techniques and Theater skills following a program offered by Arts Azimuts training within the University Centre of Arts and Drama. He continued his professional training both on national and international platforms, with programs including workshops, professional training and artistic exchanges.
Previously for the Buja sans Tabou Wesley R. Directed Radio Play by Elizabeh senja Spackman co- produced by the Rwanda Goethe Institute, His other Premieres Includes Africa 50 by La Transmission II in Dakar-Senegal, Heriatge By Catherine Decatel at Le vent se Leve Paris 6 and la Fabrique Ephemerides Rouen, Run Run Run with Elizabeth Spackman for EANT II, In this world with Jan Wallyn work commissioned the City of Brussels and Unesco for the Meise Theatre, Robin Hood for the Snap Theatre London, Les Larmes Noires and Frontiers at the Ishyo Arts Center, the Book of life for the Sundance first East African Lab in Manda, Kweza at the Mark Morris Dance Studio Barraka for the Cotonou International and Abidjan Un pas vers l’avant Festival , Baho by Katese Odile, Ibeiji with Netsor Nkwameh and Vicent Harisdo…
AS an assistant Director, Wesley Ruzibiza previously worked with Liesl Tommy (Award Winning Director) for the Production of Les Miserables by Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg based on the Victor Hugo Novel, at The Dallas Theatre Centre, Ngwino Ubeho by Odile Gakire Katese Directed by Flora Thefaine at the Onyx Theatre-Nantes,, Murmures du Crepus by Richard Adoussou Cnd Paris, Jeez for the Buschwick Newyork Open Studio festival
Wesley R. has perform in different productions around the world as a dancer and actor some of them include African Legends for the longest story in the world project touring the Uk, Bangladesh, Romania ,Spain and Scotland, The tower of London by Andy Graham for the Snap Theatre the UK and Scotland, Breaking the Silence a Cambodian international Collaboration by Anne Marie Prins, Radio Play , L’or bleu directed by odile Gakire Katese, Dieu Venge directed by Penelope Boissonet Paris la Ferme, Initium by Isabelle Cheveau at Atelier 14 Bordeaux , Comme les fleches by Koulsy Lamko , Differences by Rebecca Davis etc
He won the Rwandan Fine Arts awards 2009 and won Rwanda a silver medal at Les 8eme Jeux de la Francophonie he is also a beneficiary and recipients of various international programs exchange such as the Sundance Theatre and Director Lab, Chrysalides Africa, the Longest Story and The United Culture of Development Training Program and Asia –Africa Exchange CPI Program.
Co-Founder, Vice-Chair
Butoto Nsanabandi Jean
Cultural heritage professional.
He was respectively:
- Head of Division of Cultural Heritage in the Ministry of Sports and Culture from 1996-2000 with the main tasks of: elaborating national cultural heritage strategies and programs; Identifying the different sites and monuments (historical-cultural and archaeological) of the region and ensure relations with local institutions responsible for the management and conservation of cultural heritage;
- Director of Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Sport and Culture, from 2000 to 2005 with the main duties: to coordinate the activities of the Directorate of Culture and Arts, to elaborate the national policy of culture, cultural heritage and the arts and develop cooperation projects in the field of culture and the arts;
- Curator of the Presidential Museum of Kanombe, from 2006-2011 with main attributions: design and set up themed exhibitions (permanent, temporary or itinerant), collect museum pieces specific to the region and protect them against all depredations, acquire, preserve and restore museum collections, and carry out educational and cultural animation programs;
- Coordinator of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide at Rwamagana and Kayonza Districts and Coordinator of the Nomination Project for the Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero Genocide Memorial Sites on the World Heritage List of UNESCO;
- 2011- now with main tasks: to represent the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide in the districts of Rwamagana and Kayonza, and to coordinate activities related to the nomination of the Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Genocide memorial sites Bisesero on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
He isassociated with various organizations including:
- Former member of the Culture and Communication Commission at the Rwandan National Commission for UNESSCO;
- Member of the Council of African Museums (AFRICOM);
- Member of the Association "Umuseke";
- Member of the Rwandan Association for the Promotion of Culture -Igitego-
Jean Butoto Nsanabandi
Founder, Executive Secretary
While Guy Beaujot, studied social sciences he also attended several contemporary dance courses in a time that contemporary dance education in Belgium hardly existed. He then started to give contemporary dance workshops himself and taught dance expression in a youth music school. He developed dance and creative therapeutic(action) techniques when he worked for several years with disabled children. Later he experienced all the facets of theater life as tour manager with world known contemporary dance companies,as light designer for dance and theater companies and as light technician and stage manager in several theaters all over Europe. After re-educating himself as an I.T. technician he started to work at UNESCO-IHE Delft in 2002 till July 2015. From 2014 till 2016 he was responsible for the contemporary dance development of the Abatarutwa Cultural Troupe in Kanombe, Rwanda. He is guest actor for Nuovo Cinema49, a semiprofessional film making group. Lately he started to write poetic prose and still creates choreographic concepts for cultural events. ‘Agaciro’ was his first movie as director, producer after he created the choreography with the same name with the Abatarutwa Company. He has abandoned his job at UNESCO-IHE to implement a life wish; assisting with the creation of the professionalization of dance and dance education in Rwanda.