Dancers president calls for discipline

By The NewsDay | Mar. 1, 2019 | 3 Min read

PRESIDENT of the Dancers Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) Hapaguti “Hapaz” Mapimhidze, has urged local dancers, both female and male, to be disciplined and conduct themselves professionally to earn respect as professionals in society and the showbiz industry, respectively.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

Hapaz’s call during his address at this year’s edition of the annual DAZ awards ceremony in Harare on Wednesday came amid reports that a new crop of “extremely immoral” dancers had invaded the dancing scene.

“Dancers, we must behave. Let’s behave so society will respect us as professionals while on the other hand people should treat dancers with respect and discard the mentality of regarding dancing as associated with immoral behaviour,” he said.

“Discipline is one of the important aspects if you are a dancer. Without it, you will certainly not get any awards. You can be good, but without discipline you will never go anywhere. I want to thank Devine Assignments, run by arts promoter Biggie Chinoperekwei for supporting dancers as well as giving them platforms at his different clubs to showcase their talents since 2010.”

He said the winners were chosen by professional adjudicators in a transparent process based on merit. Hapaz said as DAZ, they valued professionalism in their endeavour to protect both male and female dancers from various abuses and assist them in times of need.

“As dancers, you should be professionals and register with the National Censorship Board as well as the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe so that you can be legal professional dancers, just like police officers, solders as well as other professions,” he said.

Hapaz advised dancers not to be abused by “fake” promoters, saying they should stick to their dancing profession.

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“As dancers, you must not be used to wash people’s cars naked by promoters or save drinks in nightclubs; know your post. I once saw a poster advertising car washing with names of dancers on it and when I interrogated the organisers, the event was cancelled,” he said.

Hapaz also urged local dancers to be united and shun unnecessary disagreements in order to grow the fledgling industry.

“As dancers, I urge you to be united. You must not be jealous of each other if you are to be successful in this industry,” he said.

It was a night of exceptional dance displays by a star-studded line-up of performers that included Wasu and her Syndicate Band, Zoey, and her Red Angels and Apama.

Below is the list of the winners

Best dance group: All Stars

Best sungura dance group: New Generations

Best kwaito dance group: Magesh Tornadose

Best pole dance group: Hot & Bling

Most disciplined dance group: Unique Queens

Best dressed dance group: Fireworks

Most consistence dance group: Apama

Most versatile dance group: Five Stars

Most innovative dance group: Pramastove

Best rhumba dance group: Thandie & Dynamites

Best acts dance group: Pramastove