Virginie Magumba, a 22-year-old professional dancer from Goma in eastern Congo, sees dancing as more than just a profession.
“Dancing helps me liberate myself, manage my emotions, and not feel alone,” she explained. “Everything I have achieved is thanks to dancing.”
Magumba recently earned the title of Best Congolese Dancer at this year’s Goma dance festival, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest dance event.
Despite ongoing attacks by rebel groups in Eastern Congo, the annual festival has been hosted in Goma for the past seven years, attracting dancers from across the globe.
“This festival has shaped me as a dancer,” Magumba said. “It has shown me that I can pursue my dreams.”
At a relatively late age, Magumba started her dancing journey. For years, she watched dancers practice in her father’s sports club.
It was only when she turned 17, freshly graduated from high school and on the verge of starting a degree in humanitarian studies, that she decided to give dancing a try.
As time passed, dancing evolved into a form of therapy for her. It helped her escape from family troubles and the persistent violence in the region, offering a source of hope.
“We strive to maintain hope, but it’s challenging when there’s no improvement,” she expressed. “The festival embodies this spirit of persistence.”
While her career as a dancer offers her rare opportunities to travel abroad, she has no plans to leave Congo.
“So many people have left in recent years,” she explained. “But I have built my career here, in my city, within my community.
“There are only two professional female dancers in Goma. I tell myself: if I leave, who will show the other girls that it is possible?”
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