Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu Zimpapers Writer
WHEN thousands of people rise to their feet at the end of a spectacular opening ceremony at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), or watch in awe as dancers, singers, poets and musicians move across the stage in perfect harmony during the National Culture Month launch, the applause is often directed at the performers taking centre stage.
This is understandable. Dancers and actors are the face of any production. Under the glare of the spotlight, in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands, they are the ones that carry the burden of bringing a producer’s vision to life.
Months of meticulous planning and preparation can unravel in an instant if a singer misses a note or a dancer takes a wrong step. Under such circumstances, very few spare a thought for the man standing just beyond the glare of the stage lights, quietly watching every cue, every entrance and every movement. Yet, more often than not, it is veteran Bulawayo choreographer Richard Ndlovu whose invisible hand has guided every carefully timed step.
Working alongside fellow creative heavyweights such as Saimon “Mambazo” Phiri and Mehluli Gomez, Ndlovu has become one of Zimbabwe’s most trusted choreographers for major national productions. His gift lies not merely in teaching dance routines, but in taking performers from vastly different artistic disciplines. Working with dancers, musicians, poets, drum majorettes and mass display performers, Ndlovu usually weaves them all into a single visual language.
It is a craft that has taken decades to master.
“I started my journey in the arts at a young age at Lobengula Centre, where I was part of Young Warriors as a dancer and actor. We later formed Savuka, where I focused mainly on dance and produced Nomathamsanqa the Sangoma, which gained me recognition in Bulawayo and across Zimbabwe,” he said.
Like many accomplished artists, Ndlovu realised early that talent alone would never be enough. Seeking to broaden his understanding of theatre beyond performance, he attended training at the renowned Market Theatre Laboratory in South Africa, where he immersed himself in arts administration, stage management and lighting.
That technical grounding would later prove invaluable, enabling him to see productions not merely as dances, but as complete theatrical experiences where movement, lighting, music and staging all combine to tell a story.
For Ndlovu, choreography begins long before the first rehearsal. Rather than imposing his own ideas, he first seeks to understand the vision of the producers before helping translate abstract concepts into movement.
“As a producer, I expect a clear concept and vision from the outset, after which my team and I advise on how to realise it and select the right collaborators,” he said.
Perhaps no production better demonstrates the scale of his responsibilities than the opening ceremony of the 2014 Region 5 Youth Games. Tasked with welcoming Southern Africa to Zimbabwe, Ndlovu and his team had to coordinate a staggering cast of about 2 000 performers.
“A key example of my work is the 2014 Region 5 Youth Games choreography, a large-scale production welcoming the region to Zimbabwe under the theme Welcome to Zimbabwe. With a cast of 2 000 performers – including dancers, musicians, poets and drum majorettes – we aimed to showcase the country’s beauty and identity. The challenge was to blend diverse performance styles into a unified narrative, beginning with traditional dance and transitioning into modern forms,” he said.
It is this ability to impose order on apparent chaos that has made him a favourite for large national productions. To the audience, such performances often appear effortless.
Behind the scenes, however, lies months of planning, countless rehearsals and hundreds of creative decisions. Ndlovu likens the process to an artist patiently working on a masterpiece.
“Large productions require extensive teamwork and rehearsals, and the process is as detailed as painting a masterpiece. A well-choreographed piece follows clear stages: introduction, conflict, resolution and ending,” he said.
That philosophy has continued to shape productions in Bulawayo. At this year’s National Culture Month launch held in the city, Ndlovu again found himself working alongside long-time collaborator Mambazo and choreographer Mehluli Gomez, each contributing their expertise to different aspects of the production.
“For Culture Week, I worked as senior choreographer alongside Mambazo, Mehluli Gomez and others, with each person handling different performance elements. We often work under pressure, especially with large groups and beginners. The theme of inclusivity required performances that reflected all age groups, from the young to the elderly,” he said.
Those collaborations have become a hallmark of Bulawayo’s artistic community, where specialists from different disciplines combine their talents to produce ceremonies capable of capturing the imagination of audiences across the country.
Although he has already choreographed some of Zimbabwe’s biggest public events, Ndlovu insists that his ambitions remain far from fulfilled. Rather than dwelling on past successes, he continues to measure himself against even bigger dreams. With the World Cup emerging as not only the world’s greatest sporting spectacle, but the number one platform for spectacular choreographed arts displays, Ndlovu one day hopes to leap that great event. It is an ambitious dream, but one that seems fitting for a man whose greatest achievements have often unfolded unnoticed behind the curtain.
“I’ve always been driven by big dreams and a desire to keep creating. My ultimate goal is to choreograph a major stadium production, such as a World Cup opening ceremony, which would mark a major milestone in my career,” he said.
