The plight of local female dancers
By Jairos Saunyama
Dressed in a skimpy outfit, strong enough to the lure the attention of the patrons inside a local city bar, Martha Sanga (not her real name ) takes few gulps from an almost empty beer bottle, at the same time wiping off sweat trickling down her neck, distorting her blue-black make up in the process.
The 15-year old girl constitutes part of a six-member all-female dance group whose mandate is to entertain the revellers, comprised mainly of men.
During her off-stage break, Sanga finds solace in the ‘wise waters’ for a number of reasons, among them to get confidence, energy or to deal with the stress after dancing.
In the eyes of the revellers, she is just a dancer but for her this is a real job.
“This is my source of income; the money is little but I have no option. I have to find other means to get extra dollars,” she told The Zimbabwe Mail.
This story is not about Sanga’s predicament only, but a number of young female dancers who have been ‘sweating’ for peanuts.
“Dancing is a tiring and demanding job. It demands a lot of energy and the performance itself has to be entertaining. We should be paid just like musicians,” said Sanga.
Local dancers have been exploited by nightclub and entertainment joint operators and even by their employers who remunerate them a pittance for long.
A research by this publication revealed that on average, dance groups are being paid around $60 for a four-hour performance.
Most dance groups consists of an average six members and this translates to a meager $10 per head which should cater for transport, food and accommodation, among other needs.
Because of the current economic hardships, most female dancers have no choice but to augment their meager earnings by cavorting with their male audiences, a situation best likened to involuntary prostitution.
It is a common phenomenon at night clubs where female dancers have become bait to male revelers who pay for sex.
“After a performance, a number of men will be waiting for us demanding sex. Some are attracted by our dressing and seductive dances and because of our little earnings some girls do fall prey and engage into prostitution,” said a dancer who identified herself as Lora.
Harpers Mapimhidze, Dancers Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) administrator recently confirmed the exploitation of female dancers.
He said dancers must be paid before performance in either cash or other means. Failure to do this should constitute legal action.
“We have appealed to bar owners and others who employ dancers notifying them about the proposed figures to be paid after a performance.
“Locally, a dance group must $100 for every three hours of performance and those who perform out of their hometowns must be paid not less than $150 excluding transport,” he said.
“Dancers are supposed to get their wages either before or after the show, but if the bar owner or employer dupes them we don’t have any alternative means except to sue them,” he said.
Socially the association is currently holding workshops to educate dancers to shy away from prostitution as well as to guard against HIV and Aids.
“The entertainment industry has been invaded by HIV and Aids and dancers are no exception, therefore we are holding workshops to educate dancers to be aware of the monster.
“It’s not only about HIV and Aids, but also about social behaviours as most dancers tend to be too excited after shows to the extent of engaging in drug abuse.
“Again, most dancers have the mentality of regarding dancing as associated with seductiveness and other immoral behaviour but that is not true, dancing is a profession which has its own ethics to be followed,” said Mapimhidze.
Lately there have been reports of dance group leaders exploiting under-age children, especially the girl-child.
Most of them end up engaging in sexual activities and inter-generational relationships with older men.
Mapimhidze said his organisation does not tolerate promoters who employed dancers below the age of 18.
While the DAZ’s recommendations sound fabulous, the devil is always in the implementation of these seemingly noble ideas.
Harare social commentator Pardon Tawodzera said the current economic conditions has also affected the arts sector. He said it was not surprising that young girls were being exploited by those with power only for survival.
“The prevailing economic challenges are affecting every sector such that Zimbabweans have resorted to anything for survival. Young girls can now engage in dangerous activities to get money. It is during this process that young female dancers are paid peanuts by bar owners because all they need is at least a dollar to survive,” said Tawodzera.
Meanwhile, some under-age female dancers have become alcohol abusers despite their young age.
In an interview with David Chidende, programmes officer for lobby group, Youth Information and Education for Behaviour Change (YIEBC), said the police need to enforce the law.
“The police should not concentrate on arresting women outside beerhalls just to get bribes. Young girls should not be recruited into dance groups let alone abuse alcohol after performances,” he said.
The last Global Status Report on Alcohol (2004) ranked Zimbabwe at number 12 on the list of top beer-drinking nations in Africa, with per capita consumption of alcohol pegged at 5,08 litres per year against an continental average 4 litres. And it is quite clear that by now Zimbabwe would have broken into top 10. The Zimbabwe Mail
