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Auxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
UMKHATHI Theatre Work’ won the Bulawayo leg of the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance competition on Saturday.
The win proved that their selection to represent Africa at the just ended Dance Africa Festival, in the United States of America was no fluke.
The award winning group flew back into the country a fortnight ago from a month long tour of the United States.
Matesu Dube, the leader of the group said they were optimistic of clinching the top prize at the national finals.
“If the playing ground is level, then we are assured of bringing the top prize home.
“We did the Setapa dance that we performed in 2011 but we worked more on the choreography,” said the director of the group.
He paid tribute to the organisers of the festival for bringing traditional dance groups together.
“This competition in my view is not about money but provides a platform for traditional dancers to meet and share notes on various traditional dances that are found in the country,” said Dube.
Umkhathi won first prize in the competition in 2011 and finished second at the national finals in the same year.
The group which was on tour, had just two weeks to prepare for the Chibuku Neshamwari competitions.
During their tour, the group also presented a new production titled, Ja Hlako, which means we are dancing in Tswana.
The show has shangara dance, isitshikitsha, muchongoyo, amabhiza, gumboot dance, chinyambera and setapa.
Kwabatsha and Ingwenyama took second and third place respectively at the competition.
The competition was a tightly contested given the number of groups that participated.
Umkhathi walked away $500 richer, with Kwabatsha and Ingwenyama pocketing $300 and $200, respectively.
All the groups were awarded $100 participating fees.
The highly appreciative crowd was entertained all day by the traditional dancers, a sign that people still value and cherish the dances.
The event was graced by the president of the Zimbabwe Traditional Dancers Association Kennedy Kachuruka and representatives of the association from different provinces as well as officials from the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages personnel.
The event held annually is organised jointly by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages.
The finals will be held in Harare on 31 August at the Harare Gardens.
Thandanani Women’s Ensemble were the last Bulawayo group to bring the national prize home in 2007.
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