Belesi explains that it’s not just the music or the lyrics. “It’s a square,” he visualizes with his arms. “Singing, guitar, dance, music.” The singer says that no one sits still, but everyone is moving in Congo. “It is very important in our culture that you have to sing well, but also dance,” Ndjate adds. According to him, entire families dance at musical occasions. “In our culture, everyone dances. Grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, everyone dances.” According to the gentlemen, the Dutch can still follow this example, because according to them, dancing is good and healthy.
And because they can follow this example, they give the Dutch a helping hand. They will soon be visiting all kinds of venues to draw attention to rumba. “Rumba is not yet known here in the Netherlands,” says Ndjate, “that is why we are doing our best from the province of Groningen (where Holland Ambiance is located, ed.) to make this dance better known with our band, Holland Ambiance. “, he explains.
“We have a project with Makila to start rumba dance lessons in the Groningen region,” says Ndjate. “A lot of people are interested, but it’s not easy.” According to him, Belesi can play a key role in spreading the dance. “He has many talents. He has more than eighty songs and he has more styles of dancing. He practices every day.”
Both men have discovered that it is difficult to get a foot in the door within the artistic world. A boost is that, together with Holland Ambiance, he can provide the support act for Congolese superstar Innoss’B, who is coming to the Netherlands this year.