Ritah Danchall is shifting more of her attention toward music after saying Uganda’s dance industry is no longer as financially rewarding as it once was.
The dancer and entertainer says the rise of TikTok has dramatically increased the number of people offering dance performances, creating more competition and pushing down the fees clients are willing to pay.
Speaking to a YouTuber, Ritah compared the money she used to receive for dancing gigs with what is being offered today.
“Back then someone would call you paying Shs 1 million, now they call you offering Shs 300,000 because every person you see on TikTok is a dancer now,” she said.
According to Ritah, established dancers can still find work, but the financial value of those opportunities has changed.
“In a month, you’ll get just one person who will pay you what you truly deserve and the other calls are them offering less,” she added.
The dancer believes the influx of performers on social media has effectively diluted the market, making it increasingly difficult for pioneers and established names to maintain the fees they previously commanded.
Ritah said clients often have cheaper alternatives and are therefore less willing to pay established performers what they believe their experience and reputation are worth.
“Customers would rather take the cheap ones than take you and make it work,” she said.
Rather than abandoning entertainment altogether, however, Ritah is now looking to build on the platform dancing gave her by pursuing music more seriously.
She said she remains grateful to dancing for helping her establish a recognisable brand and create a name for herself in Uganda’s entertainment industry.
“I’m glad I have been able to make my brand through dancing and now I request Ugandans to support me through the music as well,” Ritah said.
Her move reflects a broader shift in her own career: dancing helped establish the Ritah Danchall brand, but she now wants music to become another major part of her creative identity.
For Ritah, the dance floor may have opened the door — but she is now asking her audience to follow her into music.