The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
DANCE competition, Tjukutja Kasi to Kasi is set to resume airing on the national broadcaster ZBCtv this month due to public demand, after a three-year hiatus.
Tjukutja Kasi to Kasi was a free style open dance competition that was shot in different suburbs every week and at the end of the season there is a final show that brings all the dancers together, with a winner awarded.
The television programme is a brainchild of former ZBC cameraman and independent producer, Tafadzwa Dube, who said its aim was to give unheralded artistes in and outside Bulawayo an opportunity to showcase themselves.
“The television programme was last shot in 2019 and we could not continue due to lack of funding. However, there has been growing calls from the public to bring it back, hence we have engaged various sponsors who are willing to assist us. We are set to start shooting for the television programme on third week of January at Bulawayo Centre and after then we will start to go to the different locations (suburbs) in the city and outside,” said Dube.
He said the programme will also spread its wings to other provinces such as Matabeleland North and South.
Dube said some of the areas targeted will include Victoria Falls, Tsholotsho, Gwanda, Kezi, Maphisa and Plumtree, among others.
“The idea with Tjukutja is to entertain and empower youths so they stay away from drug abuse and crime. We want youths to realise their talent in music and art. We will profile them while they show their talent which exposes them to the outside market.”
Dube said the show was open to any genre and group winners would walk away with various cash prizes, among others. He said they were looking forward to partnering with various youth groups and organisations for the success of the television programme.
Recalling key highlights of the previous two seasons, Dube said in Bulawayo 10 youths were identified by an organisation that wanted to hire them for corporate functions while some were promised recording contracts.
One of the main presenters of the television programme, Donna Ncube, who is a creative artist, radio host, producer and actress among other things, said she was excited that the show was coming back after quite some time.
“It’s good to be having the television programme back, as you are aware the Covid-19 pandemic changed a lot of things. It will be a great platform to discover the talent that is out there. Some of these young people are really gifted when it comes to dancing but then they do not have the platform or any means of how they can express themselves. So, this television programme allows us to reach out to the young people giving them a platform and an opportunity to express their talents,” said Ncube.
She said not only was the television programme entertaining but it also changes the lives of the youths as they would likely get more opportunities.
