DANCE TRUST OF ZIMBABWE

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DFC IN BRIEF

The Dance Training Programme (DFC)

Since 1990, the DTZ has successfully run four vocational dance training courses.
The DFC programme is an intensive, full time, three year courses targeting especially talented youth from the high densities. It is designed to enable the graduates to find employment in one of the many areas of dance and performing art.  Most of the students receive their training completely free of charge. Some of the graduates are now working with established dance companies, locally, regionally and internationally. After the intake of graduates 2003- 2005, Zimbabwe faced a major economic crisis which affected intensively all sectors, in particular the cultural sector. Due to lack of funding the DFC programme had to be interrupted while continuing to approach various donors. Finally thanks to Africalia’s positive response to the 2007 DTZ proposal, a new DFC started on 1st July 2008 with 12 students. The Norwegian Embassy followed only to stop the funding in 2010 due to change in its cultural policies.
The DFC 2008 just ended in July 2011 and had been selected to be part of Africalia’s three year funding scheme in Southern Africa. This is a very positive and useful approach as it reduces the time spent looking for basic funds. The good reputation of the DFC programme contributed to the concretization of South-South collaborations with Mozambique and Malawi. For the 3rd year, the DFC programme had enrolled two students from each country, increasing the number of students to 16. In addition, the DFC students are sought after to participate in various performance platforms. With the Edudance practical carried out in the high densities using a community group, the DFC has an opportunity to disseminate the knowledge and identify potential DFC candidates through the students for the next intake. This is also a perfect vehicle to campaign for the legitimacy of artistic careers.


Marie-Laure (Soukaina) EDOM
DFC Coordinator/ Artistic Director