The troupe
Isonga is one of Rwanda's oldest and most accomplished traditional performance groups, known for years as the National Ballet. It performs at the King's Palace in Nyanza, which is the right setting for it — this is court repertoire being performed at the court it was made for, not a hotel floor show.
What they perform
The repertoire runs well past dance. Expect drumming, cultural games, traditional sports and royal ritual alongside the dancing, with the option of a lesson if you want to try it rather than watch it.
Two pieces anchor the performance. The Intore warrior dance — the men's repertoire, performed in the long grass headdresses, built on the whipping head movement and the drum line behind it. And the women's dance honouring the royal long-horned cattle, where the arm movements trace the arc of the inyambo horns. Seeing that dance and then walking out to the actual inyambo herd on the palace grounds is the single best sequence in Rwandan cultural tourism.
Booking
Arrange it with the King's Palace Museum visit rather than on arrival. Performances run one to three hours depending on what you book, and the longer version with the games and the lesson is worth the extra time if you have a group.
Where it fits
This is the reason to choose the King's Palace over Kwigira on a half-day in Nyanza. For the wider tradition, see Intore dance.