Times Of Swaziland: TOOTHLESS DA DANCER  AWARDED A GOLDEN TROPHY

TOOTHLESS DA DANCER  AWARDED A GOLDEN TROPHY
================================================================================
BY NONDUMISO MSIBI on 18/07/2018 02:47:00


Ezulwini – Credit is due to those who work hard for it.  After completing a
total of 132 kilometres on foot recently, local dancer Sithembiso Magagula, also
socially known Toothless Da Dancer, has been presented with a trophy by Tee &
Jay Woodworks, in conjunction with the Eswatini Arts and Music Association
(SWAMA).
The talented dancer recently embarked on a two-day historic journey from
Nhlangano in the Shiselweni Region to Mbabane in a bid to raise awareness about
dance as a professional art.
Last Friday evening, at the Tee & Jay headquarters in Mlindazwe, Ezulwini,
Toothless was subsequently presented with a wooden trophy.
SWAMA President Melusi ‘Zox’ Dlamini, accompanied by Vice-President Lindelwa
‘Lindz’ Mafa, commended Tee & Jay for responding to SWAMA’s call to
manufacture the trophy for one of their affiliates.
“Thank you so much Tee & Jay for recognising art and dance as a professional
art form. I hope other organisations will follow your example and actually start
taking art seriously,” SWAMA President Melusi Zox Dlamini said.
Congratulated
He then further congratulated Toothless for coming up with the initiative and
for being an inspiration to other dancers, both professional and upcoming.
Tee & Jay Director Thembinkosi Mndzebele thanked SWAMA for approaching his
organisation to manufacture the trophy. He said before the arts organisation
approached Tee & Jay, he had no idea that dance was such a significant
professional industry.
“It is very easy to undermine some professions and yet they can benefit a lot
of people,” he said, adding that parents needed to encourage their children to
pursue dance as another important future profession.
Meanwhile, the dancer could not hide his excitement and described the trophy as
the highest form of honour he has ever received in all his professional dance
life.
“Now I’m really glad I did complete the walk. There was a point where I felt
like giving up but for some reason I managed to push myself. I am proud to have
done this for other dancers and now they will know someone once did such for
them,” he said.
He thanked SWAMA for the support they showed him since he told the executive
about the initiative; right up to the presentation.
“Thank you Tee & Jay for this trophy. I had a lot of sponsors pull out but
I’m glad I never gave up,” he said.