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Dancers on stage at Jibilika 2015

Arts Correspondent

Mutare will this year host the ninth edition of the Jibilika Dance Festival that will see dancers from Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces taking part. This year’s edition will run under the theme “Empowerment” and the festival is slated for August 26 to 27. In a statement, Jibilika Dance Festival co-founder Plot Mhako said preparations for this year’s edition are already underway.“Preparations for the 9th Jibilika Dance Festival are in full swing with the provincial preliminaries starting in April and will run through to June in all the country’s 10 provinces. There also will be preliminaries in Chitungwiza,” he said.

He highlighted that dancers from all walks of life are required to submit their concepts for the festival.

“Young urban/contemporary dance companies, choreographers and dancers from around Zimbabwe are requested to submit concepts or material for completed works for a 15-20 minute dance theatre piece which is new, original, imaginative, unique and which displays unusual achievement,

“The festival will select the best three shows or concepts for the inaugural dance theatre programme within this year’s festival,” he said.

Jibilika is Zimbabwe’s premier annual youth dance festival which celebrates both urban and cultural dances and runs in competition format. It is run by the Jibilika Dance Trust. It was founded in 2007 and has remained an annual event.

The festival will encompass mentorship on a wide range of youth-related issues in various communities, exhibitions and performances.

Each year the festival assumes a new theme which guides the content and outcome. Before the national finals, a series of provincial preliminaries which act as the selection or audition process are conducted. Finalists at each provincial final then qualify for the grand finale which is held between August and November.

It is credited for exposing and promoting a lot of dancers and groups locally and beyond the borders and the organisers are excited to be bringing the finale to Bulawayo since most national events are only held in Harare.