No Name Dance Crew makes waves

Faith Ndlovu

For the past years, Bulawayo has bred talented and successful urban dance groups such as Project X, MaGesh, Ama Suspects and Antivirus — crews that managed to represent the city of Kings well on the national level and beyond.

The crews represented cosmopolitan cultures influenced by different ethnicities that are found in the city.
In as far as excellent moves display and choreography are concerned, another exceptional group in the name of No Name Dance Crew has emerged and is are eager to prove to the entire country that they are new kids on the block who will offer more to the industry.

Comprising Methembe Walter Ndlovu, Carlton Mpofu, and Prince Chibansha, the trio, of late, has been making waves with their unique blend of styles, which has captivated audiences and bridged the gap between socio-cultural backgrounds.

Their recent performance at the National Youth Day event, which was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) on 21 February, catapulted them to be recognised as a national brand that has the potential to be a force to reckon with.
On their set, at the event which was graced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the crew incorporated elements from all ten provinces of Zimbabwe and came up with an appealing routine.

The major highlight of their performance was when they paid tribute to the military with a dance to a liberation anthem Ndzira Dzemasoja.

According to Prince Chibansha, the crew’s choreography is inspired by nature.
He said they focus on dancing to any kind of genre, and the ability to adapt to different genres and audiences has earned them a reputation as one of the most exciting and dynamic dance crews in Bulawayo.

“The beauty of God’s creation inspires our choreography. Nature has so many hidden secrets, and as curious humans, we want to explore all possibilities through movement (dancing).

“We believe that what makes us outstanding and unmatched is the ability to capture and adapt to any kind of dance moves that we strengthen through training and discipline.

“The most painful process is to always maintain a certain level of physical fitness and an open mind. We are the best in mastering that and this has helped to distinguish ourselves from other dancers,” said Chibansha. Despite their success, the crew acknowledges that the journey hasn’t been easy.

Carlton Mpofu highlighted the challenges they face in the entertainment industry, including gatekeeping among artistes, difficulties with music show promoters, and a passive audience.

“Penetrating the entertainment industry is no easy feat. There is so much gatekeeping within the artistes themselves because creatives view each other from a competition perspective rather than collaborating together.

“One of the most underrated sources of power in the arts is unity. Our combination of styles from different ethnic groups and cultures should be able to make communities realise that we are all one people and by working together we can conquer the world,” said Mpofu.