HARARE - Zimbabwe's first ever multi-arts extravaganza featuring dance, theatre and music will be launched at the Book Café on Saturday.
According to John Cole, one of the organisers of the event, the production is “the first ever dance concert to capture the mosaic patterns of life, weaving through music, dance and theatre”.
Dance Evolution, which took three months to develop, is meant to celebrate contemporary Zimbabwean culture through live music, DJs, dance, movement and theatre.
The supporting musical and theatrical cast for the show includes an extraordinary showcase of Zimbabwean talent; including Ammara Brown, Pauline Gundidza, SoulJah Love, Nina Grande, Gary Tight, Take Five, Roki, Team PengaPenga, Loud Family, MMT, Jackson Zimboy, Victor D, Yoz, Tererai, Avry, Mac 1, Rustla, Foreman, with DJ Storm, DJ Scott, Marques, DJ Simz, DJ Meltdown, DJ Nate, Reno, DJ Romeo and DJ Naida.
The show will also feature special guests Robbie Zee and the soulful R&B diva Davina Green.
Book Café staging and programming manager Thomas Brickhill said “Dance Evolution is one of the most exciting and ambitious shows to be staged.
‘‘It is a mix of genres with cutting-edge crossover arts performances, live music, DJs, dance and movement, and theatre in the mix too. It’s a bit like having an art attack!”
Before the Dance Evolution on Saturday, the Book Café, in association with the Zimbabwe Applied Art and Craft Association (Zaaca), will host the craft fair under the theme Going Back to Nature.
The Craft Fair will include display and sale of traditional herbs and other food products such as jams and jellies, honey and herbal teas made from indigenous plants, all with remarkable health benefits.
Zimbabwe has a vast untapped botanical wealth which small-scale herbalists in the country can benefit immensely from.
The sale of high-quality authentic Zimbabwean art and craft from around the country, books by African writers and music CDs by various artistes, along with live music by energetic young groups are also lined up for the day.
Around 25 exhibitor stalls will display and sell a vivid array of beautiful craft and artworks.
The fair firmly embeds the material culture of Zimbabwe into the Book Café’s scope of arts coverage that already includes all genres in the local music scene, theatre, film, books, poetry, stand-up comedy, fashion and a wide range of arts dialogue.
Craftwork, as a form cultural expression in material form, has a distinguished history in Zimbabwean culture.
Local basketware, wood, metal and stone products, wire products and toys, music instruments, jewellery, fabrics, clothes and many other forms are at the same time expressions of individual creativity and amazing forms of community cultural memory.
In most instances the craft items tell the stories of Zimbabwean identity, values and way of life.