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Well this was definitely a year to remember at our second Youth Festival!  With the help of musician Brighton Chinyama we brought together our two youth groups to perform their dances alongside talented Zimbabwean musicians, dancers and comedians. On the open air stage at Glen View Primary 4 in a high density suburb of Harare, the young people performed to a full audience of friends and family. Check the gallery to see photos of the rehearsals and the festival which was funded by the money we raised at our fundraiser  'Tongue Tied?' earlier in the year.

 

As well as our festival another highlight of our trip this year was the night out to Reps Theatre. The Presbyterian Church runs a programme for children living on the streets of Harare. All the children from this programme who were involved in our dance projects were invited to watch a performance of dance and music by the National Ballet. It was their first experience of being in a theatre as the majority of their time is spent surviving on the streets. It was an escape from the harsh realities they face every day, giving them a chance to be children again laughing and excitable in anticipation of the night ahead.

 

At the end of the performances, there were a few friendly dance off competitions where all the children had a chance to show off their moves. Each child then received a certificate to acknowledge their hard work and participation in the 2nd Xen Arts Youth Festival. 

 

To finish off the day, all those involved were treated to a hearty meal cooked by very strong ladies who had worked hard behind the scenes, making big pans of sadza, rice and chicken for the now very tired and hungry performers.

 

The children from town were bundled safely into a big bus with handfuls of snacks (kindly donated by Tereza Carter), crumpled certificates and hopefully some fond memories to keep safe for a rainy day! We all had a great time and would like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who worked so hard to make this day so special ☺