Martin Muleya
Semvumba Arts Ensemble impressed the audience and adjudicators with their electrifying dinhe dance at the Chibuku Neshamwari national finals held at Mutare showgrounds.
The talented traditional dance group took home the third prize of $7 500, showcasing their rich cultural heritage and musical prowess.
Goromonzi Arts from Mashonaland East came second, wowing the judges with their unique Jerusarema dance style and earning $10 000. Green Stars from Harare stole the show with their energetic performance taking home the top prize of $15 000.
In an interview after the competition, Semvumba Arts Ensemble leader Takudzwa Matete expressed excitement and pride at winning the competition in their first year of participation.
“We are excited for raising the province’s flag high by coming a respectable third as the hosts. This being our first time to take part in the Chibuku Neshamwari traditional dance competition, we were excited that we made our presence felt.
“We also want to thank the Minister of State’s office for the support and our performance was top notch. We thank God for bringing us this far,” said Matete.
The weekend’s event was a vibrant celebration of Zimbabwe’s traditional dance and music as featured top artist, Mukudzei Mukombe and Alick Macheso.
