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The visual artist Lin Barrie has announced 2025 as “a year of dance,” an appropriate label for a period when movement, rhythm, and cultural expression became central both locally and worldwide.

From the global attention of the Olympic Games in France, where break dance, skateboarding, and BMX were officially included, to local dance contests throughout Zimbabwe, 2025 highlighted dance as both a sport and an art form, blending tradition with new ideas.

Throughout the nation, schools and local organizations vied for recognition in lively displays of chinyambera dance, highlighting its lasting cultural significance.

The Zimbabwe National Dance Association made a significant contribution by acknowledging and honoring organizations, teachers, and artists who consistently advanced dance education, apprenticeship, and performance.

These thanks not only recognized outstanding achievements, but also enhanced the framework promoting dance growth across the country.

One of the standout moments of the year was when Harare’s Green Stars Dance Troupe won first place at the 2025 Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Festival.

The Goromonzi Arts Ensemble from Mashonaland East secured second position, while the host group Semvumba Arts of Manicaland came in third, highlighting the wide range of talent found throughout the provinces.

Dance played a key role in the 23rd National Arts Merit Awards event, which took place at the Hippodrome on March 1, featuring traditional and classical acts such as chinyambera that brought the festivities to life.

On the local level, the Jikinya Dance Festival sparked enthusiasm among primary schools across the country.

Throughout the year, kids engaged in the chinyambera dance, competing as they discovered the values rooted in Zimbabwe’s traditional culture.

The event remains an essential venue for maintaining traditional dance and fostering a sense of national pride and cultural identity in younger generations.

In 2025, Barrie experienced a significant personal and creative shift.

Noted for pieces like Wine and Wild Dogs, which showcase her interest in African wild dogs, food, art, and sustainable tourism, Barrie gained new motivation during Zimbabwe’s National Culture Month, themed around Honoring Indigenous Voices.

The encounter enhanced her understanding of dance, rhythm, music, and craftsmanship, increasing her self-assurance and widening the appeal of her creations to art enthusiasts.

“The event at the Culture Month opening at Rusununguko Clinic in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe was intriguing, particularly in honoring our local Tsonga/Changana culture. A delightful performance of traditional xibelani dance took place,” she mentioned.

Residing with the Mahenye Xangana (Hlengwe) community in the southeast lowveld, dance (kudzana/kutamba), storytelling (ngano), and poetry have been integral to my artistic expression, as seen in works like the painting and poem Dancing With My Sisters and Dancing With My Cellphone.

During 2025, Barrie drew traditional dancers from Tsonga/Changana groups in addition to modern performers from Zimbabwe’s Afrikera Trust and France’s DANS6T at Alliance Française in Harare.

What captivated her was the seamless flow of motion and emotion, suggesting a universal language that goes beyond limits.

She now envisions grand abstract dance paintings, influenced by attire and movement, linking traditional African dance with global icons and contemporary styles, from Michael Jackson to hip-hop.

Hillary Indi, the director of Elysium Magna Dance Theatre, stated that dance serves as a strong medium for expressing human identity, feelings, and relationships.

It promotes physical health by enhancing strength, balance, and stamina, while also aiding mental wellness by reducing stress and facilitating emotional expression.