The Sunday News
Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya, Sunday Life correspondent
NOW and then in the traditional dance stage an assortment of dance groups emerge and try to make their mark, with most in the end failing to achieve the intended goal.
What then drives one group to stand the taste of time and inscribe its name in the historic annals of traditional dancing is more than resilience and talent. It is patience, determination and an unfailing vision as well as always looking for the missing link.
Such is the story of Sekunjalo MaAfrica which is one youthful traditional dance group from Magwegwe that has stood the test of time since it was founded four years ago and recently won the provincial competitions.
The traditional dance group which within two years of its existence made its way to the esteemed Chibuku Neshamwari
Traditional Dance Competition, but failed to make it in the finals never gave up and recently danced its way within 10 minutes at Esigodini’s Habane Beer Garden for the 2016 Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance National Competition.
The director of the group, Arnold Ndebele, said their well timed comeback was based more on restructuring and recruiting new youthful members. He said their bigger goal now was to win the national competitions slated for end of this month.
“After we lost the competition in 2014 we never gave up. Actually we were inspired to get back on the drawing board and come up with a more energetic group. Even in terms of gender the group is well balanced,” he said.
The group which specialises in traditional dance offers quite an assortment in that field depending on the occasion.
“We perform at weddings, festivals, corporate functions, workshops and schools. We perform Umzansi, Istap, and Isitshikitsha, Ingquzu, Amabhiza and Umntshongoyo. This is just a tip of the iceberg of what the group offers,” he said.
He said the group practices wherever they got free time at Magwegwe Youth Centre adding that the youthful group was pegging their goals and future alongside traditional dance gurus like Iyasa.
What sets the group apart is the traditional dance genre that they have decided to pursue at a time where most youths in the city and the countryside barely want anything to do with their traditions.
“This is a very unique genre. We have members that come from different backgrounds that make it even easier for us to have a wide range of traditional dances that we perform and we are very proud of that,” he said.
The group’s diversity is further enhanced by the gender balance, which the group director said was adding more flair and the end product will be an exhilarating performance.
“We have a fair number of males and females. As you can see we have 7 boys and 8 girls and this makes our performance even more appealing to our audience,” he said.
With the Chibuku Neshamwari National Traditional Dance Competition scheduled for 30 July, it comes as a litmus test for the groups to claim the number one spot in the whole country. This, according to the group, will further send home the message that indeed they mean business as well as silence the doubting Thomases.
@nhlallo
