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Angela Sibanda, Showbiz Correspondent

New recruits for Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (IYASA) have expressed excitement after joining the team and being given the opportunity to perform with the group for the first time.

As an arts institution focusing on grooming young talent, Iyasa has produced outstanding performing artistes that have made reputable names through their works as individuals or small groups.

One of the Iyasa products that left the team and turned on a new chapter is the Asante Mo group which has been making headlines on different media platforms for their outstanding drumming and dancing techniques. This has seen the group performing on big stages in Zimbabwe and recently, in South Africa.

Other known names from Iyasa include, Sandra Ndebele, DJ Prince Eskhosini, Nkwali, Cheryl Mabaya, Roben “Mamozi” Mlauzi and the Magonya twins Silethemba and Pepsie.

Sandra Ndebele

Two of the new recruits who started rehearsing with the team in December last year former Mpopoma High School pupils Loretta Unathi Phiri (18) and Donecia Dube (19), recently had their debut performance as part of Iyasa last Sunday and expressed excitement for their new adventure.

Donecia Dube

Sharing her experiences, Loretta, who learnt at Mpopoma High School said the first performance and rehearsals with the team was an amazing experience for her as she has already learnt a lot of new things within the short period of practising with the group.

“I am a former dancer for a group called Umthwakazi kandaba. I have learnt a lot from the rehearsals with Iyasa, especially the claps and dances to Ihosana songs and that they have similar components with Ibhiza dance. I’m hoping to learn a lot more and be in a position to even teach my peers.

“I had my first performance with the crew on Sunday and I had so much fun. It felt amazing to be working with the popular group and I’m excited that I’ll be working with them from now on,” she said.

Donecia, a former Bambelela Ensemble actress, said working with the group is something that she wishes would inspire young people within her surroundings.

“I have also worked as a dancer with Umthwakazi kandaba. For the time that I have been rehearsing with Iyasa, I have already learnt a lot that I hope will inspire other young people in my community.

“For my debut performance with the group, I really did not believe that I would be able to pull through and bring out the expected performance but somehow, everything just fell into place and I had a good time during the act”, she said.
Despite most artistes leaving Iyasa to start their own art adventures, the team has been kept alive through the yearly intakes and collaborations with individual artistes.

“As an arts school, our primary aim is to train young artists and when they can stand on their own feet, they find greener pastures or do solo projects and we always allow them to move on into new chapters of their careers.

“We always have new artists, each year we have an intake of new students. Even all-round the year we do have artistes that come to work with us. We also have artistes that move on each year or request to do other projects,” said Iyasa founder and director Nkululeko Dube.

Iyasa has 25 performing artistes.