THOHOYANDOU – The Bono Traditional Dancers, a local traditional dance group based in Thohoyandou, will jet out of the country on a cultural exchange mission, that will see Venda traditional dances showcased at the international arena.

The group has been invited to perform in Antwerp, Belgium as part of the cultural exchange relationship between South Africa and Belgium. Rehearsals are vigorously underway as the group prepares for the trip. The group has put together a forty-five minutes dance performance incorporating Tshigombela, Tshifasi, Malende and Domba. The performance is aptly titled Ndi Rine – which means That's us.

A visibly elated chairperson of Bono Traditional Dancers, Lufuno Mutele, expressed joy that this opportunity has presented itself. "What excites us is not just the opportunity to go overseas, but playing a meaningful role as cultural ambassadors to the international community. There are many South Africans who are currently in Europe for various reasons. We want them to proudly point at us and tell their Belgian counterparts: That's us."

Mutele's enthusiasm as he talks about the trip, is complemented by the energetic performance that the group gives in rehearsal. They go about their dance routines as though the word verve has been engraved in their hearts. But it is when one realises that the group has been in existence for less than a year that one is taken aback by the track record that the group has already built for itself, having performed at festivals such as the FNB Vita Mvusuludzo Drama Festival and the Market Laboratory Community Theatre Festival.

"We established Bono Traditional Dancers out of a shared passion for our traditional forms of dance. The formation of the group responded to a tendency that was growing among our youth of perceiving traditional dance as not suitable for young people. Bono Traditional Dancers is overturning those perceptions with tremendous success," says Lufuno Mutele.

The trip is organised by the Future Artists Empowerment based in Johannesburg under the leadership of Zenzi Mbuli and Tale Motsepe on behalf of Zuiderperhuis Cultural Centre in Antwerp.

They are scheduled to depart from Johannesburg on September 24, and to return to Johannesburg on October 1.