THIS year’s edition of the Dancers’ Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) awards, held at City Sports Bar on Tuesday night, were marred by logistical nightmares and were reduced into some kind of rehearsal session for dance groups that were kept on stage. BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
DAZ officials, including chairperson, Paddington Japajapa and secretary, Tawanda Jena, had a torrid time, as they could be seen moving up and down in front of guests, as they tried to put their house in order.
The event, scheduled to start at 6pm, only roared into life at around 10pm, after the organisers were forced to wait for some of the dancers.
Raunchy dancer, Beverly Sibanda and her group, Sexy Angels, scooped awards in six categories – including Best Dance Group and DAZ Dance Ambassador Award – walking way the biggest winners of the night.
She, however, did not attend the ceremony, as she was holed up in South Africa with her manager, Hapaguti Mapimhidze – the DAZ president – due to flight delays.
Some fans queried why Bev’s top competitor, Zoey, was missing from the list of nominees set to receive certificates.
Japajapa, however, said Zoey was a pole dancer and there was no category for pole dancing before shifting goalposts, saying the absence of her name was an error.
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“We are going to have awards for pole dancers, as we have five groups that do striptease, which has different rules from the ordinary dances and thus the category in which Zoey fits,” he said.
Bizarrely Zoey’s name was then included and she was also honoured. Japajapa urged dancers to be professional and operate according to rules and regulations that govern them. Lady Storm scooped the Best Video of the Year award for Usandibate while Japajapa was adjudged the Administrator of the Year.
Chiiteite by Precious ‘Wasu’ Mkwakwame scooped the Best Song of the Year while Lambadosa Stars, Kudzi Nkonzani and Zoey Sifelani scooped the Most Improved Dance Group, Best Female Sungura Dancer and Most Professional Dancer awards respectively.
Winners were Lady Storm and Swagga Boys (Best Dressed Dance Group), Starlight Muzika (Most Disciplined Dance Group), Fearless (Most Innovative and Creative and Best Performer in Acts), Expandables (Best Rhumba Performer), Generation (Best Sungura Performer), Apama Styles (Most Versatile Group), Unique Queens (Most Consistent Group) and Digital Queens (Most Promising).
Girle Mahlangu (Best Female Rhumba Dancer), Terrence Gomo (Best Male Rhumba Dancer and Best Male Dancer Overall), Paul Mdara (Best Male Sungura Dancer), Loveman Katsande (Best Acts Performer Male), Precious Dzenga (Best Acts Performer Female), Harpers Mapimhidze (Manager of the Year), Malik Issa (Most Promising Dancer), Sydney Dzimati (Most Improved Dancer — Male), Charity Kanonde (Most Improved Dancer — Female).
