MARONDERA-based deaf hip hop dancer, Tinashe Dokwani, has expressed concern over lack of support for people living with disabilities in the arts sector.
BY PRECIOUS CHIDA
Dokwani, who was born deaf, said there was need for the government to increase its level of support for the deaf.
“The government should support the deaf in dancing and other arts and maybe if they can form organisations that cater for the deaf people, we would see the talent hidden in us emerging,” Dokwani said.
The dancer said he has been facing rejection as many people in society did not accept that someone with hearing impairment could dance and that has seen his chances of participating in a number of shows shrinking.
“The government can help us have a platform where we can be able to perform freely as there are times when I get shows to perform in, but as soon as the people find out that I am deaf they remove me from the list, which affect my career,” he said.
Dokwani started dancing in 2005 at the age of 12 and has been working with award-winning choreographer, John Cole, since 2013.
The 24-year-old dancer said his inability to hear has never stopped him from dancing as he makes use of vibrations of speakers to dance which he learnt from his tutor, Ken Fury, an American choreographer.
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Dokwani said right now he is mentoring other deaf children from King Georges School in Bulawayo.
