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Tawanda Marwizi Arts Correspondent
Arcturus’ Beni Arinoti that specialises on a dance called Beni Arinoti brewed a shocker when they won this year’s Chibuku Neshamwari Provincial Traditional Dance competitions in Murehwa over the weekend.

They beat Mashonaland East Province’s dominating dance Jerusarema Mbende, which has been on a winning streak for the past two years, both at provincial and national level.

Mbende groups Ngoma Dzepasi and Makarekare have been winning the competition at national level since 2014.

People often dance to Beni Arinoti at funerals, memorial services or other ceremonial gatherings.

In the Ben Arinoti dance, men take the leading role in the dance while women just encourage participants from the sidelines.

The group went home $500 richer while second-placed Zevezeve got $300 and third-placed Dandemutande pocketed $200.

Other groups that contested were Masiyambiri, Shingirirai, Nginde, Murehwa Prison and Mbada Makuva Pasi.

The Zimbabwe National Traditional Dancers Association President Kennedy Kachuruka said the competition was tight this year.

“Mbende groups failed to do their best maybe because they had no time to rehearse. Some would even do stage coaching showing that the groups were not prepared for the competition,” he said.

He said it was good that other groups were well prepared and managed to impress.

“It was interesting to note that some of the groups did well but they could not reach the level of the winners. We encourage traditional dance groups in communities to come and register with us so that they can get into the competition,” he said.

For years, the competition that has been held in collaboration between Delta Beverages, Zimbabwe Traditional Dancers Association and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe has brought not only excitement and thrills, but respect for local culture and heritage.

It has managed to bring different dances together, giving people a glimpse of how elders used to entertain as well as convey several messages through dance.

In some social events different cultures can be identified through traditional dance.