Thandanani Women Ensemble recruits youths Thandanani Women's Ensemble
Thandanani Women's Ensemble

Thandanani Women’s Ensemble

Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
ONE of the country’s oldest traditional dance groups Thandanani Women Ensemble is recruiting young people in a move aimed at preserving the group’s traditional dance legacy.

The multi award-winning group, which has been in existence since 1982, consists of elderly women who now feel they need to pass their knowledge to the youth.

Group treasurer Yengiwe Ngwenya said that the recruitment was an ongoing process aimed at infusing young blood in the group.

“We have started recruiting young people to join our dance group and we have recruited five new members, four girls and a boy. This is aimed on ensuring that the group’s legacy doesn’t just fade away,” she said.

Ngwenya added that contrary to the belief that young people had no interest in traditional dances, they were receiving an overwhelming response from the youth.

“The general perspective in society is that young people don’t like traditional dances and anything involving their traditional culture. When we started recruiting we were surprised by the overwhelming response from young people, which was a sign that young people have interest in their culture,” she said.

As an initiative to ensure that traditional dance culture is not eroded Ngwenya said the group has started teaching foot dance lessons in schools.

“We hold workshops in schools where we teach young people about their culture especially the dance cultures. This is a culture that has to be preserved by all means necessary,” she said.

Ngwenya said they have long term plans that will see them opening a cultural centre.

“We are working on plans to get a huge piece of land where we can build and open a cultural centre. This centre will be a preserve of all traditional indigenous knowledge that we want to pass to future generations, for the preservation of our culture,” she said.

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