The Sunday Mail
IN pursuit of the elusive Benjamins and to attract crowds, dance groups are now baring all – stripping down to their birthday suits.
Nudity on stage has become the latest draw card being employed by these groups that have blown to smithereens the country’s censorship laws.
While Zimbabweans (moral and immoral) are still to come to terms with the reality of an incident that saw a female dirty dancer, Chantel Chirimuta, having sex with a patron live on stage at Club Red 32 in the capital, events across the capital show that this was just a tip of the iceberg.
Female dancers’ behaviour, never mind the club they are playing in, has become crude and gone beyond unbecoming.
A majority of the dance groups, if not all, have lost the glitter that characterised them at the beginning of the new millennium. Most are now resorting to using lewd and highly sexually suggestive acts to lure patrons.
“Kunobviswa zvese here?” has become the new buzz-phrase in town.
The dancers are dishing out physical adult pleasure to patrons that frequent bars and nightclubs. While some dancers have not engaged in sexual activities with patrons on stage, they have done so in dark corners or “private” areas of some clubs.
Quotations for the illegal activities are furtively dished to patrons when they join the dancers on stage.
With charges ranging from as low as US$5, one is guaranteed to enjoy sexual pleasures from the dance queens in some of the low class but highly packed bars. Conspiracy between the dancers and club owners cannot be ruled out as bouncers guarantee no disturbances during the criminal acts.
But what is even more disturbing is the age of some of the dancers who appear to be barely in their teens. The groups have become popular not for their dance but as rich hunting grounds for perverts and paedophiles.
Dancers’ Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) board chairperson Paddington Japajapa said he was aware of the “wicked” developments within the dance group industry. He was, however, quick to point out that most of the “unholy” acts were being committed by unregistered dancers.
According to Japajapa, dance groups registered under DAZ follow regulations stipulated by the Zimbabwe Censorship and Entertainments Control Act.
“We condemn with all the force we can master the misbehaviour by both registered and unregistered members that we have. There is a clear code of conduct within DAZ and problems are emanating mostly from groups that are not registered with us because they do not know what is required of them,” he said.
“DAZ members always undergo workshops and most often know how to behave and conduct business therefore we encourage non-registered dance groups to do so (register),” he added.
Ignorant club owners and dance groups have been flouting censorship laws by misinterpreting regulations to lure crowds and make profit.
According to the Censorship and Entertainment Act, striptease should not go beyond underclothing; strippers should not engage members of the audience on stage while those under the age of 19 should not be allowed into a striptease venue.
Non-strip dancers are not at any given moment allowed to remove their clothing, which may be in the form of shorts, skirts or trousers.
But it is not only in bars that these notorious dance groups have been creating problems. A recent survey by this publication indicated that the dancers have become popular at a number of private parties, birthdays and bachelor parties.
Daring groups advertise their services in the media while others use the word of mouth to capture clients.
At these functions, the culprits are offering more than the striptease and ordinary dance services.
“Officers from the police inspectorate and/or those from the censorship board should intervene and help us out on this one. As DAZ we are saying those in contravention of the law should be arrested and we have since asked the police to arrest those operating illegally. That ungodly and demonic Red 32 incident must be a first and last.
“DAZ de-registers groups that violet Censorship laws after giving them three warnings.
“A de-registered group will not be allowed to perform in Zimbabwe both by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the Censorship Board,” explained Japajapa.
Reigning promoter of the year and club proprietor Biggie Chinoperekwei believes moral decadence in nightclubs and bars is being promoted by unscrupulous ladies of the night.
“Prostitutes masquerading as dancers are creating challenges in this industry. It is against this background that I feel club owners should only engage registered people. It’s highly unlikely that registered groups or individuals will misbehave since there is a known punishment for offenders. DAZ conducts workshops for its members and they do help regulate the dance industry,” he noted.
Chinoperekwei added that the Censorship Board should also have a separate licence for venues.
“Ordinary dance groups and the striptease dancers need to perform in venues that are designed for that. Most clubs are not designed for dancers or strippers; they lack even a simple stage. When there is a stage – it is not up to the required standards, for instance, the height, distance between stage and patrons, changing rooms, etcetera. When a club has no proper facilities it means automatically there is contact with clients either during performances or after. I believe that clubs should be vetted as well to ensure total compliance,” said Chinoperekwei.
Another top promoter, Partson “Chipaz” Chimbodza, said the spirit of profiteering was destroying the dance industry. He noted that most promoters are not paying proper value for dancers’ services resulting in the entertainers coming up with uncouth money-generating measures.
“. . . some of the dancers’ behaviour has become a cause for concern, but I think venue owners and our (promoters) payment systems are partly to blame. We should make sure that dancers get enough money to sustain their groups by looking at viability at both sides. Imagine giving a group of seven dancers US$60 for a gig. They obviously will find other means to earn extra cash and create the kind of problems we now have,” said Chipaz.
The chairman of the Censorship Board, Herbert Malaba, said the dancers knew exactly what is expected of them and thus the police inspectorate department was not supposed to show mercy to offenders.
Beverly “Bev” Sibanda and fellow pole dancer Zoey Sifelani have more than once been arrested on allegations of public indecency after contravening the Censorship Act but escaped with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
“Every registered dance group has recommended laws behind their licence certificates and the police inspectorate department should arrest those flouting the provisions of their certificates of performance. We are and will continue working with relevant groups in the arts industry to promote purity,” he said.
The Sunday Mail Leisure spoke to a number of registered dance group members, who understandably refused to be named for fear of retribution by fellow members or being pursued by the law enforcement agents.
Both male and female dancers cited economic hardships in the country and tight competition in the dance industry for the rot that is prevailing in the country.
“No city or town is spared – everyone is doing it all over the country, be it in Zvishavane, Chipinge or Guruve. We get paid between $40 and $120, but our groups are made up of upwards of eight people – honestly how do we make ends meet with that kind of money?
“Patrons and promoters know that we do not earn much and we know that they are attracted to us – it’s a win-win situati on,” said Clarice, not her real name.
