CHIPABO unearths children�s talent in Botswana
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday March 23, 2015 14:29
The children who spoiled the audience with their superb talents from different corners of Gaborone proved this at National Museum’s Little Theatre on Saturday. The event coordinated by Children Association of Performing Arts Botswana (CHIPABO) unearthed the country’s best during the International Day for Theatre for Children and Young People.
The energetic young performers showcased their talent through music, dance, drama and poetry. Ikageng Primary School staged a beautiful educational play on HIV/AIDS. Parents who graced the event were left teary-eyed, while others could not cease nodding their heads in approval of the skills showcased by the young performers. Amongst the energetic children who made the day successful were Marang Junior Secondary School students who are obviously multitalented. The students put their school on the performing arts charts with their extraordinary talents. The young artists, who came in large numbers, gave testimony that the country’s young people have great talent, as there was no arts category they did not master. They spoilt the audience with beautiful drama, marabi and dance performances. One of the highlights of the event was when some of the children were called to showcase their dance moves and some boys from the school decided to prove that they dominated on the dance floor. CHIPABO children did not want to be left behind. They too wanted to show the revellers that they dominated the territory, as they were the hosts.
From children as young as five-years-old, CHIPABO children spoilt the audience with beautiful poems based on issues affecting children in general. Their seniors treated the audience with contemporary dance. When giving the message of the day, the guest speaker Bame Golekanye said theatre was vitally important for every child from a tender age. “Dramatic art gives us our first access to a community outside of our own family and we do it through those ‘let’s pretend’ moments so typical of childhood. Let’s pretend is fundamental to the child’s developing imagination, enabling the child to create an imaginary future, which is rich and complex with other people,” she said. She said the arts enable the youth to express themselves better and helps them build their confidence.