Zambia Cultural Dance Troupe enthralls
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: The performance by Zambia Cultural Dance Troupe (ZCDT), held at the Police Auditorium, here today, enthralled Jammuites with a rare opportunity to experience the exhilarating rhythms and beats of tribal dances from African continent.
Marking the first international performance organized by the Regional Office of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, which opened at Jammu on May 25, 2012, today’s was the second show by ZCDT, which earlier performed at Delhi as part of the ongoing Festival of Africa celebrations in India.
Clad in traditional head gears, costumes with bead necklaces and accompanied by traditional drums, the dancer performed tribal dances such as “Nyakasanga”, “Tamaya”, “Fwemba”, “Ndendeule”, “Vimbuza”, “‘Chiyanda”, “Akalela”, “Manchancha” and “Chingande”. These dances are performed on different occasions, seasons and stages of the life by more than 70 tribes that constitute the modern Republic of Zambia.
The Zambian group was headed by the Director of the Cultural affairs of the Government of Republic of Zambia and is escorted by the First secretary of the High Commission of Zambia, in India.
Giving details about the International Cultural Troupe, in his welcome address, Balwant Thakur, Regional Director, ICCR informed that a twelve member group of artists has come to Jammu from Lusaka (Africa) to present the traditional music and dance performances of Africa.
Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India is currently hosting festival of Africa in India and under that program series of programs are being organized and Jammu performance is also a part of it, he added.
He said, with the opening of the Regional Office of ICCR in Jammu, people out here will get a global cultural connect and this part of the world will be exposed to the world cultures. He said very soon under the ICCR’s ‘Horizon’ series of programs, fortnightly performances of local artistes will be held on regular basis.
The ZCDT team included Joseph M Mwansa (Deputy Director, Department of Culture, Zambia), Jarson Phiri (Producer), Darius Daka, Robert Mulenga, Malibi Mtonga (Drummers), Tasili Phiri, Alice Luundu, Ireen Kabangu, Martin Kabwe, Fungulani Njovu, Remmy Munshya (Dancers). Naislele (from The Zambian High Commission, New Delhi) also accompanied the artists.
Follow our WhatsApp channel