Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts, Entertainment Hub
ORGANISERS of the Sunshine City Festival, recently held at Alexandra Park in Harare, were thoroughly impressed by the professionalism of the Russian dance troupe, Altai.
The group travelled from Eastern Europe to bring an international flair to the second edition of this musical extravaganza, aimed at promoting Harare as a rich cultural hub and a safe tourism destination.
Tamba Events, under the aegis of Nigel Chinovhiringa, was behind the festival that can easily be considered a triumph.
With a focus on beautiful music, delicious food and onsite camping, attendees were delighted as Chinovhiringa infused a touch of Russian culture into the event.
The creative ingenuity of this new wave of arts promoters led by Chinovhiringa demonstrated that collaborative efforts yield great results, as the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, through the Embassy of Russia in Zimbabwe, included Altai in the line-up as part of a cultural exchange programme.
In addition to their captivating performance on day one of the festival, the group also conducted a workshop, sharing insights with local artists on best practices for conducting arts businesses.
Speaking to Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Chinovhiringa noted that it was a marvel working with Russian dancers.
“It’s actually encouraging for us that our work is being recognised by people outside the country. It was the Russian ensemble that reached out to us, and at first, I thought it was a hoax. However, after doing my due diligence, I found out they were legit, and that’s when solid talks began,” he stressed.
“We were very excited about this milestone because it shows we are doing great work, to the extent that international artists see value in coming to perform here. This can only motivate us to keep working hard and grow the festival even bigger.”
Chinovhiringa, who has been advocating for professionalism among local acts, noted that Altai’s visit was an eye-opener regarding how the arts business should be conducted.
He mentioned that he was humbled by the dancers’ punctuality, choreography and dedication to their craft.
“From the Russian dancers, I have noticed that local dance groups can learn not only the importance of promoting our culture through dance but also how to be professional.
“The Russian ensemble exposed us to how the arts business should be conducted, and as a team from Tamba Events, we have learned a lot that we will implement going forward,” he admitted.
Chinovhiringa highlighted the need for more cultural exchange programmes to enhance the fortunes of local creatives by empowering them with the right tools in this evolving sector.
“I can simply say that cultural exchange programmes are very important, as we learnt a lot from Russia.
“As you might be aware, Russia is our all-weather friend, and through these cultural exchanges, we can learn a lot about each other since art is a universal language. Let’s use it to connect with one another.”
The affable events management guru revealed they were looking forward to more collaborations with Russia for the development of the arts sector.
“Of course, this was our first time working together with them (the Russian dancers), and it was our pleasure to collaborate.
“It’s a relationship we would like to build on going forward. We are looking forward to more collaborations and have already started talks to explore how best we can work together.
“In short, you should expect more collaborations between us and our Russian brothers and sisters in the not-so-distant future.”
As we reported during the build-up to the Sunshine City Festival, local creatives benefited from a workshop titled “Traditional Dance as the Basis of Spiritual and Moral Education,” which provided valuable insights and training for participants.
After the workshops, attendees were treated to an electrifying performance from Altai, named after the esteemed dancer Alexander Brezikov.
Their act was held under the banner “Days of Russian Spiritual Culture,” marking their first time in Zimbabwe.
The ensemble’s performance featured Russian and Cossack folk songs and dances.
What raised the appeal of Altai’s performance in Harare was that they showcased their talents during the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture and Africa Day on May 25.
All these performances and workshops fell within National Culture Month, emphasising the strong bonds of brotherhood and mutual sympathy enjoyed by Russia and Zimbabwe.
Days of Spiritual Culture is a multi-genre project of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, aimed at demonstrating the richness and diversity of Russia’s spiritual culture in foreign countries.
The tour was organised by the Autonomous Non-profit Organisation, Russian Seasons.
Since 2008, the events of the “Days of Spiritual Culture of Russia” have reached over 50 countries.
Meanwhile, local and regional acts that participated in the event included Nyasha David, DJ Hush, MC Gudo, Oriyano, MC Tatts, DJ Fugee, Feli Nandi, Nisha Ts, Saintfloew, Gary B, Merciless Zimbabwe, Etherton B and his sidekick Garry B.
Top South African amapiano superstars DJ Maphorisa and Prince Kaybee were also part of the strong line-up.
