Legae Arts and Communications hosted Explore My Talents Art Festival at Ivory Park North Community Hall where primary and secondary schools around Tembisa and Ivory Park showcased their talents in drama and music from May 16 to May 17.
The aim of the event was to uncover and unleash young talent in celebration of Africa month. The nine-hour event started at 8am till late.
Schools who participated were awarded with a certificate of participation, and to those who achieved first, second and third prizes with a certificate and a trophy.
Mikateka Primary School started things off on the first day of the festival. Among the other contestants were Kaalfontein Primary School, PS Tsosane Primary School, Rebonwe Primary School, Rev. A. Mapheto Primary School, Ebony Park Primary School, Mayibuye Primary School, and Dry Kook Primary School. The secondary schools included Ivory Park Secondary School, JB Matabane, Umqhele Comprehensive School and David Makhubo to name a few.
Palesa Mohomane, the founder, said they want to explore more talent with the aim of the learners learning from each other and grow in their talent.
“We wanted to celebrate African month by attracting more schools to participate under one roof and unleash their different talents. We want them to fight poverty using arts,” said Mohomane.
“The National Lottery sponsored us to have the facilitators going into the schools and check how the preparations have been going. We had art practitioners going to the schools to oversee the whole process of practice lessons. We want to attract the Department of Education and the Department of Arts to come on board the next time we host such event,” said Mohomane.
The primary winners are as follows:
Best actress was Ncedile Masinga from Mikateka Primary School and Petronella Malatji from Bonwelong Primary School. Pontsho Mosoru from Ebony Park Primary and Njabulo Mahlangu from Rebonwe Primary school won the best actor award.
In music P.S Tsosane Primary School won the first prize, Ebomini Primary won the second prize and Rev.A. Mapheto Primary School claimed the third prize.
In drama P.S Tsosane Primary School won the first prize, Ebony Park Primary School won the second prize and Bonwelong Primary School siting at third position.
On May 18 Ivory Park Secondary School became the overall winners claiming first spot in both music and drama, followed by David Makhubo Secondary School at second position winning both in drama and music categories, with JB Matabane claiming the third position in music and Umqhele Comprehensive School in third place in the drama category.
Lerato Namane, a teacher at David Makhubo Secondary School, said it was their first time entering a competition and they are with their results.
“Coming to the competition we did not have much experience compared to other schools but we have learnt a few tricks of our own,” said Namane.
“We have potential and we are going to practice and master our art so we can be gunning for number one spot next time with confidence,” added Namane.
Nokwazi Gemfana, the communications officer for league, said the event went according to plan and they achieved their mission and their visions for the event came true.
“We wanted them to see that there is still art which exist in our schools and talent can be nurtured for better use tomorrow,” said Gemfana.
“The performances teaches the children in a much more better way about a whole different social issues we are faced with, better than lecturing at them,” added Gemfana.
Adjudicator Vincent Languza said the government should notice the importance of art in schools and position it in a proper way.
“I am very happy with leaners who were able to articulate and show discipline, more important I was happy with the schools that managed to kill the script, with this festival it brought a new feel in Ivory Park and the learners will definitely learn something,” said Languza.
Kate Tshabalala P.S Tsosane primary school educator said she is very passionate about art, poetry, dance, culture, drama and having to be part of finding talent and nourishing it brings more joy in her life.
“The children has talent we have seen that, they have brought different elements in addressing the challenges in their acts which many of the learners faces on
daily basis or in time to time within their surroundings, from the acts they learn to overcome those challenges,” said Tshabalala.
“Some of the challenges they have displayed was the fact that we have gained freedom as a country but then it feels useless because as kids we cannot even go to the streets and play because we will get kidnapped, raped or murdered,” explained Tshabalala.
“These learners gets to peer learn each other, we get to notice talent too as teachers from these learners because not all are academically gifted but creatively gifted.”
“We should be getting more schools to participate in these completions, for future festivals the organisers should invite us in time so we can get enough time to prepare and master it on stage,” added Tshabalala.
