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Ezimnyama Dance Ensemble won the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival Bulawayo finals held at Manor Hotel on Saturday

Gibson Mhaka, Showbiz Reporter
EZIMNYAMA Dance Ensemble shrugged off stiff competition from 10 other groups in the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival Bulawayo finals held at Manor Hotel on Saturday.

For coming first, Ezimnyama Dance Ensemble, the two-time winners of the contest who once represented Bulawayo at the national finals in 2015, walked away with $300 in addition to qualifying for the national finals to be held on August 5 at White City Stadium.

Bulawayo Province will host the national finals for the second consecutive time this year.

Sanganai Neshanduko and Imvimbi Arts came second and third respectively. Sanganai Neshanduko pocketed $200 with Imvimbi Arts going home $150 richer.

In an interview after they were announced provincial champions, the group’s leader, Phibion Ncube, attributed their victory to hard work, noting that the group would do their best when representing the province.

“It was a great honour for us to win the competition for the second time at provincial level. We will continue working hard in preparation for the national finals. This time around we are going to make sure that we do our province proud by winning the prestigious award at the national finals,” said Ncube.

The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) programmes officer for Bulawayo province, William Nyandoro, was confident that this year the provincial winners would do them proud at the national finals.

“I believe our winners will do us proud as a province and we are going to the national finals with the aim of winning the coveted award. It has been a while since a group from Bulawayo won the competition at national level,” said Nyandoro.

Other groups which participated in the Bulawayo provincial contest were Bambanani, Harsh Touch, Thandanani Women’s Ensemble, IIubalemvelo, Hloseni Arts, Ingwenyama Arts, Imvimbi Arts and Sikolwabo Khokho.

Dances the groups were specialising in include Amabhiza, Muchongoyo, Amantshomane, Isitshikitsha, Setapa, Amajukwa, Mhande and Umzansi.

The Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival, which has been running since 1963, is a tripartite partnership involving the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and Delta Beverages.

The traditional dance festival seeks to promote the appreciation and development of ethnic traditional dances found in Zimbabwe.

The winners of the national finals will pocket $7 000 with position two winning $5 000 while the third-placed one will take home $3 000.

Last year, the national competition was won by three-time winners of the contest, Redwing Beni Arinoti, from Manicaland.