Iyasa
 IYASA Logo | |
| Motto | There goes the morning star |
|---|---|
| Type | Arts School |
| Established | January 2001 |
| Chairman | Nkululeko Innocent Dube |
| Location | Bulawayo, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe |
The Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts which means Freedom for Young People, affectionately known as IYASA is a multi- award-winning Zimbabwean performing arts school which is based in Bulawayo. IYASA hogged limelight in the early 2000s when the group members featured on Chase Skuza's Banolila video.
Background
A brainchild of Nkululeko Innocent Dube who was a teacher by profession, the group started as a drama initiative at Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo. Dube then decided to quit his teaching profession to venture into arts on a full-time basis. This led to the birth of IYASA in 2001 as a professional platform for young people involved in the arts.
Objectives of IYASA
- To provide a platform for upcoming artists to establish themselves in the artery. market/industry*
To employ youths gainfully through the arts.
- To train artists and thereby produce complete, disciplined and skilled artists.
- To come up with programmes that develop arts within schools, communities locally, regionally and internationally.
- Organise exchange programmes, training programmes, collaborations with individuals, groups,theatres, organisations across the world for the benefits artists involved.
- Create productions that address issues that affect artists,affect the youth and thrive to address them.
- Encourage and foster arts for young people and by young people.
IYASA enforce
Iyasa has raised the Zimbabwean flag through its performances on the international scene. The group has toured many countries include the United States of America (USA), Austria, Germany, Serbia, Czech Republic, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Malawi, Slovakia, and U.K, Japan, Mexico, Montenegro, Italy, Lichtenstein and Croatia among others.
In 2013, the dance group released their eighth studio album 'Afrika Alive'. The album carries 18 tracks sung in different languages appealing to many people.[1] During the same year, it was also nominated for the Belgian Young Audiences Musical Awards (YAMA) for their play, Sweet Moon.[2] among other finalists from Belgium, Brazil, Canada Denmark, France and the Netherlands. In 2013, three of the group members, Noma Mkwananzi, Silethemba Magonya and Pepsie Magonya appeared on billboards in New York.[3]
Filmography
The group has produced numerous plays. They include;
- China K
- Elephant moon
- Sisonke
- Sleep well
- Sweet Moon
Awards
- Best Dance Group (3 times), Video of the Year Award and People's Choice Dance Group Award conferred by the NAMA
- Best Dance Group and Video of the Year Award, conferred by the ZIMA
- Youth Project of the Year conferred by NESCAFE
- International Ambassadors Award (Czech Republic).
- TBA Best Production Award. (SERBIA)
- Audience's Best Performer's Award. (SERBIA)
IYASA Videos
References
- ↑ IYASA release Afrika Live videos, New Zimbabwe, Published: 20 Mar 2014, Retrieved: 16 Apr 2014
- ↑ Iyasa nominated for prestigious award, The Herald, Published: 6 September 2013, Retrieved: 16 Apr 2014
- ↑ Iyasa appears on New York billboards, Bulawayo 24, Published: 13 Dec 2013, Retrieved: 16 Apr 2014
