Online Reporter
Nodumo Moyo, [email protected]
Dancer Angeline Nyasha Mnindwa is taking Zimbabwean talent to international audiences after landing a role in a major entertainment production touring Turkey, where she has been captivating holidaymakers with performances since May.
The 25-year-old, who was born in Gweru and raised in Bulawayo, is part of Magic Africa, a multicultural production by Harare-based Del International Company operating under Muzo Medya. Since arriving in Turkey on May 7, she has performed in the resort cities of Konakli, Kemer and Alanya before audiences drawn from Germany, Ukraine, Switzerland, Russia, France, Australia, Canada, Greece and Albania.
The production brings together performers from Zimbabwe, Colombia, Brazil, Mongolia and Ethiopia, offering tourists a vibrant showcase of music, dance and acrobatics from around the world.
Mnindwa’s international assignment has seen her share the stage with acclaimed productions including the Michael
Jackson Show Group, Spartacus Group and Pulse Group from Colombia, Fantasia Show Group from Brazil, Khan Circus and Bingo Circus from Mongolia, as well as an Ethiopian acrobatic duo.
For the dancer, the opportunity is about far more than performing on international stages; it is about representing the city and country that shaped her.
“Honestly, it still feels surreal some mornings when I wake up here. To carry Bulawayo with me, the city that raised me and taught me how to move this far from home is the greatest honour of my life so far. Every time I step out there, I’m not just dancing for myself, but I’m dancing for my family, teachers back home and every young girl who was told to dream smaller.”
The demanding tour schedule has also become a defining chapter in her artistic growth.
“The workload here is heavier than I first assumed and it has forced me to grow quickly. Every rehearsal teaches me something new and I’ve even learnt new skills. I can proudly say I’m now an acrobat too.”
Mnindwa’s journey to the international stage began long before her Turkish tour. Inspired by global superstars Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Beyoncé and Shakira, as well as local performing arts powerhouse Iyasa and Sandra Ndebele, she pursued professional dance training in 2019 under veteran choreographer Richard Ndlovu at Imbali Talent Agency before further developing her craft at Africa Light Foundation. She also received mentorship from Tynoe Reez, Carlton (formerly of Dynamix Dance Crew and now with No Name Dance Crew) and Sleek the Geek of Super Geeks. These mentors helped her secure some of her earliest professional opportunities, including wedding performances, flash mobs and Jah Prayzah’s Maita Baba album launch in 2023.
Her growing résumé also includes performances at church events, corporate functions, high school talent shows and the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, where she entertained visitors at exhibition stands for numerous organisations.
A former pupil at Henry Low Primary School and Founders High School, Mnindwa says her passion for dance was nurtured from an early age. She recalls spending countless hours watching dance videos and movies with her cousins. Her mother became the first person to recognise and encourage her gift.
“My mother used to make me dance a lot as a child. Sometimes I’d be made to dance for the visitors at home. Sometimes at parties or weddings, she would say, mina ngilomntwana ogidayo, sukuma ubagidele mntanami. I didn’t like it at times. She always tells me that I started dancing when I was a baby and had a favourite song – Tsaona by Pengaudzoke that I’d dance to every time it was played. So I believe she saw the talent in me before anyone else knew I had it.
“My older cousin was the one who taught me dance routines when I was around five years old, but she wasn’t a dancer herself; she just loved the dance world.”
Now performing thousands of kilometres from home, Mnindwa hopes her journey will inspire more young Zimbabweans to pursue careers in the creative sector, proving that talent, discipline and perseverance can open doors to opportunities on the global stage.
