Sibonisiwe Sithole and Ruben Mlauzi
Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts (Iyasa) founding members are hard at work rehearsing for their 15-year anniversary celebrations at Hartsfield Tshisa Nyama in Bulawayo today.
From Monday, under the watchful eye of director Nkululeko Dube, members have been going through their paces at their ceremonial home — Entumbane Hall.
Sandra Ndebele
Sandra Ndebele, Nkwali, Sibonisiwe Sithole, Sonia Mbaya and Shelton Mpofu were spotted mixing and mingling with the new generation of group members such as Cheryl Mabaya, Ruben Mlauzi and Rafael Ncube.
Ndebele said although it was good to reunite with her peers, she realised that age had definitely caught up with her after rehearsals.
“My feet are killing me and I don’t know how we managed in the past. We’ve been practising since Monday and Dube is still as strict as ever as he wants nothing but perfection,” she said.
“However, this doesn’t mean that we won’t rock the stage. Practice makes perfect, even for artistes who’re seasoned we need to be in tune with each other when we’re on stage.”
Nkwali
Dube said seeing his products rehearse together brought back fond memories of the beginning of the group.
“It’s an emotional moment for me as the director to see the likes of Sandra, Nkwali, Romeo, Sonia and Shelton roll back the years. I don’t have words to describe how I’m feeling seeing them rehearse at a venue where it all started,” he said.
Tonight Iyasa will take people back to the dances that made the group popular.
“We were popular for renditions of Mbongeni Ngema’s My Fohloza and Solomon Skhuza’s Banolila. These and other dances that made us popular will be on the menu. It’ll be an epic night and all those who love Iyasa should come and see the reunion and celebrations,” said Dube.
But before the festivities at Hartsfield Tshisa nyama, a celebratory dinner will be held for the group at a local hotel for an award they won in Austria recently. Iyasa won the Best Music in the production Mein Bauenhof (My Farm House) at the Stella awards this year.After their dinner, Ndebele, Nkwali and Tsungi will take to the Hartsfield stage where DJs Prince, Mzoe, Jay-B, Wallace, Emitty Smooth, Bongs Deeper and Passe will be on standby to entertain patrons.