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The workshop was held in conjunction with National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and was conducted by veteran traditionalist and culture activist, Pathisa Nyathi.
In an interview, Nyathi said the response from teachers was overwhelming and the books that they had set aside for the workshop ran out.
“We had a lot of people coming for the workshop and we did not expect that to happen. We had budgeted for 50 teachers but we ended up having 250,” he said.
Nyathi said many primary school teachers were interested in the workshop because this year’s Jikinya Dance festival’s theme dance was Amabhiza.
“Amabhiza is this year’s Jikinya dance theme and this was the reason why the schools responded so overwhelmingly. The teachers learnt a lot and we hope what they learnt would be imparted to their pupils,” he said.
Nyathi said the books they distributed had instructions on how to coordinate the drums and the dancers.
“The book is a wealth of knowledge for those who want to use it. It talks about ways of coordinating the drums and the dancers. The amabhiza dance is very complex and needs one to practise it,” he said.
Also at the event was NACZ director Elvas Mari and Amakhosi director Cont Mhlanga.
The amabhiza dance has made waves in the country after it was introduced at the Jikinya Dance Festival last year by Matjinge Primary School from Bulilima district of Matabeleland South province
At this year’s competition the dance constitutes 70 percent of the marks and all dance groups have to do amabhiza with another traditional dance piece.
Sidumisile Mabena