Zanele Moyo

ALL roads lead to Mutare on July 19 for the Chibuku Neshamwari National Traditional Dance Festival.

Zimbabwe’s music giants, Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah and Enzo Ishall will perform at the national finals. The Vibrant Band and last year’s winners Nyaungwe Arts from Mashonaland East province, are billed to perform at the show.

All provincial winners from across the country are expected to meet at the Mutare Showgrounds, where traditional dance groups will be battling for top honours.

For these national finals, the top dance group will receive US$15 000 and, the runner-up will get US$10 000, and the third-placed group will receive US$7 500.

The competition, organised by Delta Corporation in partnership with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dance Association, will be held under the theme; “Ngoma Ngairire Shamwari, Tshay’ sghubhu Mngane.”

The primary objective of the competition is to promote the country’s rich cultural heritage and traditional dance.

Groups that qualified during the provincial competitions include Undi Gure of Zvishavane from Midlands Province, Semvumba Group of Manicaland, Jeketera Renyaungwe from Masvingo, Katawa Traditional Dance from Mashonaland West, Imvimba Arts from Matabeleland North, Sekulile Dance Group from Matebeleland South, Goromonzi Arts from Mashonaland East, Green Stars Dance Troupe from Harare and Sekunjalo MaAfrica from Bulawayo Province.

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