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Showbiz Reporter
Dates for the Chibuku Neshamwari Dance Festival provincial finals and venues have been unveiled following the announcement of the return of the competition recently.
Harare paved the way with a competition that was held on Saturday.
Mashonaland East is set to hold its competition this weekend followed by Masvingo at Farai Beerhall next weekend.
Gwanda will play host to the Matabeleland South finals at the Manz’amnyama Beerhall on June 18.
Thereafter, Gweru and Bulawayo will host their finals at Zaire Cocktail Bar and Manor Hotel on July 2 and July 9 respectively.
Victoria Falls is set to host the Matabeleland North finals at Chinotimba Beerhall on July 16 with Mashonaland Central set to close the provincial competitions on July 16.
The date and venue for the national final are yet to be unveiled with organisers, Delta Beverages, saying they will do so during the course of the competition.
Organisers said, as usual, participants have been shortlisted to compete at the provincial level with the group that will come out tops, set to compete at the national finals.
“The top three winning groups will receive prize monies.
This will then culminate in a national final where winners from the 10 provinces will battle it out to be crowned overall winners,” said Delta Beverages.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic that rocked the country in 2020, the event was forced into a hiatus and made its return this year.
Bulawayo traditional dance group, Ezimnyama, are the reigning national winners after coming out tops at the last competition in 2019, their second win after emerging victorious in 2017.
A tripartite partnership between Delta Beverages, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association, the competition that was launched in 1963 has served as a launchpad for the careers of many traditional dance groups.
“Chibuku Neshamwari has over the years afforded dance groups global recognition and performances at various corporate and cultural events.
This festival has become important in promoting and ensuring that traditional dances, which are one of our crucial intangible cultural heritages are celebrated.
“Dance and music have played an important part in the way people interact, celebrate, and narrate our past.
To this end, Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival has kept alive the many traditional dances that define the country and its people,” Delta Beverages said in a statement.
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