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Showbiz Reporter
KHAMI Primary School will be travelling to Norton this week to represent Bulawayo at the Jikinya Dance Festival national finals.

The finals taking place at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton on Friday will see 10 primary school dance groups competing for the top spot. Last year, traditional dance group – ZRP Tomlinson Depot Primary School from Harare – won the contest.

Performing the Umdadada dance, Khami will compete against Matabeleland South’s Tokwana, Matabeleland North’s Ndlovu and Masvingo’s Mlelezi. Representing Mashonaland West is Chiguvare, Mashonaland East – St Joseph’s, Mashonaland Central – Chipindura, Manicaland – St Peters Tokoyo and Harare – Chembira.

Zvishavane’s Matenda Primary School which has been representing the Midlands province for the past five years will be trying its luck again this year with a performance of the mbakumba dance.

The 10 groups will perform various dances including mbakumba, zhana, mbende, chinyambera, chimbwembwe, dinhe and amabhiza with the winners set to walk away with $2,000.

The first runner up will be awarded with a trophy and $1,500 while $1,000 has been set aside for the second runner up. The group which will take position four will receive $500 and a trophy. For their efforts, individual prizes will be given to Best Coach – $50, Best Costume – $100, Most Harmonious Group – $100, Best Drummer – $30 and Best Boy/Girl Dancer – $30.

Losing groups will not return home empty handed as they will each be given consolation prizes of $200.

The festival, held annually to promote and preserve Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage by encouraging primary school children to perform local traditional dances, will be held under the theme: ‘Preserving Cultural Heritage and Identity’.

National Arts Council of Zimbabwe communications and marketing officer – Catherine Mthombeni – said the schools would showcase a dance of their choice as well as the common dance – Ihosanna dance.

“Four years ago, NACZ introduced a system whereby a specific dance is selected as a festival piece that runs for two years and is judged as a Common Dance. The Common Dance was introduced so that all participating children, despite their regions, can learn, perform and appreciate diverse Zimbabwean cultures,” Mthombeni said.

“Ihosanna is a dance that is performed in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. It’s a rainmaking dance that’s also used during spiritual ceremonies among the Ndebele people.”

The school which will impress with a performance of the Common Dance will be presented with the Prof Hope Sadza Trophy as well as a prize money of $500.

“Founder and Vice Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa Professor Hope Sadza donated a trophy for the Jikinya Dance Festival’s Common Dance. The trophy has since been named the ‘Prof. Hope Sadza Trophy for Outstanding Common Dance Performance’,” said Mthombeni.

Last year the common dance was Jerusarema Mbende Dance that was proclaimed a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.