The Sunday News
‘…parents don’t know that I am a pole dancer’
Mbongeni Msimanga
LOVE her or hate her — Nolleen “Zoey’’ Sifelani has ripped the nation apart with her raunchy and well-choreographed pole dance moves since she descended on the local showbiz scene a few years ago.
And yes, pole dancing is a career that was alien to Zimbabwe as it was perceived by many as an exotic culture that chews into the moral fibre of our tradition and culture. But Zoey has refused to be weighed down by the critics who apart from attacking the dance have attacked her person too labelling her immoral. After all she is getting something out of it. It has become her honest way of living just like Jenyne Butterfly and Sheena Lashay who are among some of the internationally recognised pole dancers.
It goes without saying that she has scaled dizzy heights that have seen Bulawayo-based Sandra Ndebele or even raunchy dancer Beverly Sibanda become household names, yet she is hungry for more.
With pole dancing as her forte, she has shrugged off all negative connotations that are associated with the profession.
“I was probably one of the first people who started pole dancing in the country although I started off as a dancer for Roki in 2007. I, however, tried my luck in South Africa although I came back to Zimbabwe after I failed to make a mark in that country’s showbiz industry,” she said.
She continued: “After settling in Zimbabwe, I managed to successfully get a licence for pole dancing. And yes I was the first person to get such a licence. People were probably shocked at the aspect of pole dancing in Zimbabwe as it was new,” she said.
In as much as pole dancing has been perceived as a western performance, it has however grown so much that it is now in demand around the country, with men making the bulk of the fans.
She said her family was supportive of her career as a dancer.
She has one secret though. Her parents do not know that she is into pole dancing, neither do they know what pole dancing is. She has hoodwinked them into believing that pole dancing is some sort of traditional dancing.
“My parents and family have been supportive of my career as a pole dancer. They are quite old, and to be honest they think that it resembles traditional dances that are done by groups such as IYASA. This has indeed made them comfortable with my career,” she said.
The single mother of one has not been so lucky in relationships. Maybe men do not take her seriously or she is just unlucky in love as her relationship with ex-husband cum manager, Denver Musiiwa did not go well.
DJ Devante as he is popularly known who doubled up as her manager could not keep his zip closed and cheated on her with one of the girls in the Sexy Angels group, something that led to the fallout.
Although some men drool over her dancing prowess on stage, the accomplished pole dancer who is known for her easy going nature said she had no prospects of being in a relationship at the moment.
“I was once in a relationship with my band manager but our relationship did not go far because he slept with one of the girls that I worked with. That inevitably saw us parting ways and at the moment I have no prospects of being in a relationship. I am concentrating on my career,” she said.
Probably just as everyone thought she had reached her zenith in the showbiz industry, her ability to reinvent herself and venture into music has kept her in the game.
She recently released an album that featured collaborations with singing sensations Ammara Brown and Mafriq.
“I have a six-track album at the moment that features Ammara Brown and Mafriq. I believe it is the only way that I can stay in the entertainment industry. It is not only about pole dancing but also venturing into other arts avenues,” she said.
