HARARE - Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa), one of Bulawayo’s most successful dance outfits is tonight expected to thrill fans in the capital at a gig that has been slated for the popular joint, the City Sports Bar.

The Bulawayo giants will tonight share the stage with Harare’s Bayana while tomorrow it collaborates with the group Apama at the same venue.

The ever-rising ensemble will be returning to the Harare showbiz arena after they wowed revellers on Christmas Eve last year.

Speaking to the Daily News during rehearsals in the city yesterday, Iyasa director Nkululeko Dube said, “It is the beginning of the year and as trendsetters we feel this will be a great opportunity to start on a high note with our first concert in the capital. Our concerts will be on Friday and Saturday at the same venue.

“Our fans should expect the usual high standard and classic performance that has been synonymous with Iyasa. The fact that Harare remains one of our main performance places shows we have a following. As a result we really value our fans’ loyalty as they have always stood with us all the time,” he said.

In addition, on the apparently dwindling dance industry, Dube said, “The dance fraternity is now yearning for something new, we really need to be creative and bring in new dancing skills. All we need to do is engage fresh ideas in the whole thing.”   

Besides the group’s well-known prowess on the dance floor they have also proved to be versatile as they have worked on a variety of productions that have deservedly received local and international recognition.

Such other productions which include Elephant moon, Inhlonipo (Respect) a co-production with Tumbuka Dance Company, Spirit of Africa, and Dancing with the stars, African Americano and African stores.

The talented troupe has finished working on their latest production called Identity which was co-produced and written by Dube and Austrian counterpart a university lecturer at Gabriella.

The production will have its first showcase in Europe as the group embarks on its annual six month tour of the continent in March.

Iyasa’s preceding European tour saw them performing for the very first time in Asia, Japan in their globetrotting history, a feat Dube described as one of their most anxious moments in the showbiz.

The multi award-winning performing arts school was established in 2001 to support and promote the best interest of young musicians, dancers, actors and poets.

The institution which is now home to about 40 artists has steadily expanded to be a vital resource centre for aspiring, upcoming and even established artists, especially musicians, singers and dancers.

It is through comprehensive workshops, projects, training programmes and classic performances that the group has proved to play an integral role in development and promotion of talent in the arts of the second largest city.

Iyasa has transformed itself to become ambassadors of Zimbabwean performing arts in many countries as United States of America, Austria, Germany, Serbia, Czech Republic and UK among others where they have often raised the country’s flag high.