AWARD-WINNER Farai Meki, president of the National Dance Association of Zimbabwe (NDAZ), says the youth should exert their efforts beyond dance sequences and variations and create meaningful messages that help people to strengthen their lives.
Through NDAZ, Meki successfully carried out the inaugural Tambai Dance Festival Competitions in conjunction with the Zimbabwe College of Music where Madziwa Teachers College, Glen View 2 Primary School and Team Expendables came out the best ensembles.
NDAZ seeks to promote, empower, advocate for the viability of the dance sector in Zimbabwe.
The dance sector is still in the process of growing as visualised and reflected by the inaugural Tambai Dance Festival NDAZ.
“The Tambai Dance Festival is in support of Vision 2030 and it is a talent identification platform where we fight off drug and substance abuse by allowing many community clubs to expose their talent while we take pride and preserve our Zimbabwean culture.
“We are currently on an innovation drive to source resources to expand our activities. NDAZ is now focused on talent development in schools and communities,” Meki said.
Josiah Kusena the immediate past director of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, who was the guest honour at the inaugural Tambai Dance Festival organised by NDAZ, said meaningful engagement in dance and other school activities helped the youth to stay away from the temptation to seek sudden mood shifts through substance abuse.
"Contemporary dance provides entertaining, powerful, expressive and kinetic self-expression in which performers discover new possibilities of movement gestures. Dance in the modern times is a way of storytelling, allowing dancers to create complex stories and trigger powerful emotions through their actions,” Kusena said.
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Bulls to charge into Zimbabwe gold stocks
- Ndiraya concerned as goals dry up
- Letters: How solar power is transforming African farms
Keep Reading
“Contemporary dance has several benefits on the body and mind, it is an aerobic training that allows you to increase power and endurance and improve breathing. Practising this discipline strengthens the abdominal muscles, regulates the heart rate and fully trains the body making it much more flexible and toned.
This state of flow can significantly reduce stress levels, anxiety and even symptoms of depression. By providing a healthy, productive outlet for stress, contemporary dance can play a crucial role in promoting mental well-being in children.”
He pledged more support to the Tambai Dance Festival in remembrance of his late son Anotidaishe Emmanuel Kusena aka Tempo. For the inaugural Tambai Dance Festival the Kusena family donated three trophies.
NDAZ and Zimbabwe College of Music Tambai Dance Festival official results had Glen View 2 Primary School as the champions in the primary schools dance category followed by Kuwadzana 6 Primary while the Salvation Army and Mother Touch Primary Schools came third and fourth respectively. Best Male Dancer was from Kuwadzana Six Primary, whereas the Best Female Dancer was from Glen View 2 Primary. Salvation Army Primary School had their student crowned the Best Drummer.
Despite Madziwa Teachers College being the only competing tertiary institution, it did not only perform but teach in the shortest available time Jerusalem mbende dance with proficiency and great artistry. For their efforts, they walked away with four awards for the Best Traditional Dance Group, Best Drummer, Best Female Dancer and Best Male Dancer.
In the Contemporary Dance Category, Team Expandables came first ahead of second placed Team Exterminator and Team Mamero which came third. The other dance groups were Step Up (fourth), Kings and Queens (fifth), Ghost Busters (sixth), The Truth (seventh) and Scopa Arts (eighth), who gave the best account of themselves. Best Male Dancers were identified from Kings and Queens, Team Mamero and Team Expandables while the Best Female dancer was from Team Exterminators. The Best young Dancer was from the Ghost Busters.
Sabastine Tauro, a music lecturer at Madziwa Teachers College, hailed the adjudicators for a job well done and said the event was good for student enrichment and shaping students’ diploma prospects.
Anashe Matanga, who was the Best Female Dancer, said their group Team Exterminators was looking forward to becoming the best national dance group. Exterminators have featured on several of the gospel music band Mahendere Brothers video recordings.
