Sungura maestro Alick Macheso’s dancers Francis “Franco Slomo” Dhaka and Selemani “Zaiko Majuice” Mpochi seem to have traded their dancing shoes.
Slomo was a favourite with fans for years and was regarded as the best dancer in sungura circles but now he seems to be steadily losing out to newcomer in the group, Majuice, as witnessed at a recent show in Gweru.
Majuice stole the limelight and overshadowed Franco on the dance floor, leaving revellers chanting his name throughout the night.
Franco used to command total dominance over other Orchestra Mberikwazvo dancers but it seems he has now found his match in the band.
Both dancers began the show at a blistering tempo but Majuice easily found his way into the fans’ hearts, drawing chants of approval, as the act of a seemingly frustrated Franco slowly waned down.
Maybe it was just a case of having a bad day in the office for an off-form Franco who now has to prove he is not yet a spent force.
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Even Macheso himself joined the fans chanting the name Majuice.
But Majuice, who formerly worked with Peter Tangwena and briefly with Leonard Zhakata, maintains there is no competition between him and Franco.
“We do not go on stage to compete but try to create a good combination and entertain people. Franco and I are close friends, we have a great relationship on stage. He supports me a lot and he is like a brother to me,” he said.
The 24-year-old dancer who also used to be a conductor for commuter omnibuses that plied the City-Kambuzuma route was spotted at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton while dancing with a group called Star Light and joined Macheso at the end of September last year.
Meanwhile, another Orchestra Mberikwazvo dancer Peter Kagomera has saluted Macheso for giving him a chance in life.
Plucked right from the middle of Harare’s streets which he called home, Kagomera has also become a darling of the crowds.
“I got onto the streets because I was naughty, not because I had no place to stay. But since joining Macheso my life has transformed and is a lot better and I greatly appreciate his help.
“I now stay at my own place in Chitungwiza Unit M and I also have some property. I would like to urge my old boys in the streets to follow my footsteps,” said Kagomera.
But ironically, the 23-year-old does not own a mobile phone. Two of his colleagues burst into bouts of laughter when asked if Kagomera has a phone.
But Kagomera insisted he has one and said he had forgotten his new number after he lost his old line. These might be some traits of his old life but the dancer has clearly reformed and is standing his ground on the dance floor.
The competition among dancers has greatly improved Macheso’s live show act.
After the departure of Macheso’s team of dancers that he called “Tomato Sauce”, choreography had slumped but the coming of new dancers had breathed new life into the band.