Society Correspondent
ELLIS ROBINS SCHOOL will paint Harare red on May 24 when it hosts the Urban Art Culture Dance Festival.
The event is part of the school’s programme for the Africa Day celebrations.
A number of local high schools from Warren Park, Mabelreign district will battle it out on the dancefloor for some fabulous prizes.
Each school is expected to provide gifted dancers, who will compete in the urban contemporary and cultural dance categories
The event is running under the theme “African Vibe”, which captures the essence of Africa Day as envisaged by the great revolutionary, Kwame Nkrumah.
It embodies the celebration of African freedom, culture, civilisation, unity and renaissance through dance, which is now a registered learning area in the new curriculum.
This event, which will kick off at 10am, is open to all learners from Harare, who will be expected to buy tickets, which are going for US$3 (or equivalent) each, in order to access the venue.
Festival director Tinashe Chiku, who runs the Urban Art Culture Dance School and is a renowned choreographer and performer, said the festival was not only meant to celebrate Africa Day but to promote this mode of performing arts in high schools in Harare.
He said dance has many benefits that include promoting emotional health, physical fitness, teamwork and discipline.
Plans are underway to schedule a similar festival for elementary schools at Ellis Robins next term.