Dorset Performing Arts branches out into education

Prof. Frank Mbengo

The arts company has resurfaced as an organisation called the DAHLIA Trading Company (DTA), under the leadership of Prof. Frank Mbengo. To date the group boasts several works of poetry and novels with five of its poets exhibiting their high degree of poetic talent in a book called ‘Mutakunanzva wenhetembo’, a newly commissioned Ordinary Level set book for 2016-2019.

Prof. Mbengo served as (UNESCO)’s Arts and Education Advisor and Representative for various African Countries.

In an exclusive interview Prof. Mbengo said: “The arts company received several invitations from schools across the country to present its approved O Level Shona poetry book to them.  It is  expected that pupils will contemplate the authors’ perspectives and find out the darker meanings of portions of the poems. The overwhelming interest shown by schools  encouraged us to draft  teacher and students’ friendly literature guides and video clips as well.”

Prof. Mbengo added that the authors teamed up and produced a well thought out manual that will serve as a teacher’s complimentary guide as well as a student’s companion and are engaging with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and their publisher, BookLove.

“If approved we will start the project mid-September this year and will achieve it through public and private partnerships,” he said.

DPA’s marketing manager, Delicious Mathuthu told this reporter that they have companies who are willing to partner with them to implement the project. During the undertaking, processions and seminars, they will provide publicity material as a means of advertising the project.

The Arts Company public relations officer, Muchemei Makina said that although the 2008 economic hardships forced the group to stop its major projects, they continued to believe that ‘problems are not stop signs but guideline’ and that this kept them going. Veteran artist Makina said his group learnt that life does not have to be perfect for it to be wonderful.

‘If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow’ – this old Chinese proverb is evidenced by some of the Dorset members who took the challenge as an opportunity for self empowerment.

Makina told this reporter that having acquired skills in various artistic aspects such as theatre and general arts management, film and video production, theories, development, research, theatre and film directing among others, the arts company is set to embark on massive arts projects.

“The 2008 scenario forced the majority of our members to develop themselves academically and professionally through encouragement received from Prof Mbengo.”

Established on 25^th March, 1998 in Shurugwi under the guidance of a former Dorset secondary school literature and theatre teacher, Leonard Masvanhise, the DPA became the best theatre in the country due to its unique, Shona, English and Ndebele tragedies produced and aired by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio and television between 1999 and 2008.