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A MUTARE-BASED dance group, Chenhaka Trust will today conclude a 15-day capacity building workshop for 60 participants from the Mashonaland provinces at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare.
The workshop mentored dancers on their rights, working hours, media use, and tax clearances.
The graduates included dancers, directors, choreographers and writers from groups such as Hwamanda Dance Group, Tridon Publishing, Precious Children’s Arts Organisations and Kondanani Chimtali, an all-female group.
The workshop’s aim was to support artists to professionalise and to formalise their work.
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe also plans to hold similar training sessions in different parts of the country.
Nicholas Moyo, executive director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, said the certificates the graduates received was just a reminder of what the artist learns and they should apply it in their artistic careers.
“The certificate is just a reminder and as dancers they should change their mindset.
“This workshop also opened doors for people with disabilities to do other things even if they cannot dance,” he said.
Some of the graduates said they were over the moon after successfully completing the workshop.
Mambo Mukuvapasi, from Goromonzi, the director of Ngoma Dzepasi Arts Unlimited, said he started his musical and dance career in 2006, and had never attended a workshop before.
“I started the visual arts in 2006 and now I know how to improve my work through digital platforms and all thanks to the Chenhaka Trust,” he said
Another beneficiary, Courage Shumba, said that he learnt a lot about tax clearances and arts management and how to formalise their work.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge