Move to the beat and heat

The third week of April on a Tuesday mid-morning, you could hear amplified music and voices of many children as you are about to enter the Africaid premises.

What had brought about such an action you might ask- the fever and heat as is the norm on each and every given April in the capital is all about Harare International Festival of the Arts. HIFA is indeed one of Africa’s largest international arts festival. It was established in 1999 by Manuel Bagorro, the festival takes place each year in late April or early May in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. HIFA is a week-long and encompasses five principal disciplines, which are: theatre, music, dance, fine art and poetry. Children from the Zvandiri program are going to be part of one of the above mentioned discipline-dance or to be clearer a flash mob and it is the opening act on the 4^th of May!

A flash mob is seen as an artistic expression done in a public place and since there is only one choreographer teaching each group and it involves many individuals we agreed we were to rehearse once a week up until HIFA. On the 16^th we started training and by the time the day was over, everyone agreed that the routine was indeed difficult hence each person was going to learn at home. The first time we only learnt one part of the routine and on the 23^rd we were going to do the unfinished part. Like I said before the dance steps are difficult and you have to be fast and very flexible for it to really come out. We are currently stumbling and the fact that the festival is around the corner is not helping matters. In our case every step, every clap or any movement you make has got to be at the same precise moment.

Perfection is what we want and that is what you are going to get!

Open invitation to all, be part of us and come witness our performance and other acts at the very grand arena-Harare Gardens it will be. See you there.