22 Jan 2024

Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) will sponsor Botswana International Dance Sport Grandprix championships at the tune of P136 000.

The international dance sport grandprix championships of 2024, hosted Botswana Dance Sport Association (BODANSA), is scheduled for Gaborone on March 1-2, and will be held at University of Botswana Indoor Sports Arena.

Expected countries to participate in this competition include South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, eSwatini, Seychelles, Russia, Italy, and Mozambique among others. The competition is also a break dance qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Launching the sponsorship in Gaborone January 20, ODC managing director, Mmetla Masire said Botswana International Dance Sport Grandprix championships exemplified the values that the company believed in such as collaboration, unity and transformation nature of the arts.

He said they were excited as a company to be working with BODANSA for the grandprix championships, particularly as the competition would have for the first time people living with disabilities participating.

“This is a true demonstration that dance truly knows no boundaries,” Masire said.

Through the sponsorship, he said they hoped to provide a platform for dancers of all abilities across the country.

He also said they hoped to inspire and encourage everyone to pursue their passion for dance regardless of physical challenges.

The dance sport grandprix championships is expected to showcase a blend of traditional and modern dance forms, highlighting the rich tapestry of culture; from the vibrant and rhythmic beats of traditional dances such as tsutsube, sebirwa, polka, pathisi, hosanna among others to the contemporary expressions of modern choreography such as hip hop, ballroom dance, ballet, belly dance, disability/special section, amapiano and jazz among others.

BODANSA vice president administration, Abednico Tshambane applauded ODC for their noble gesture saying the sponsorship signified a union of grace and glamour where the precision dance met the brilliance of diamonds.

He said ODC’s partnership with BODANSA aligned perfectly with the sophistication and precision that defined dance sport.

“This collaboration promises to elevate our championships to new heights, providing participants with an unforgettable experience and the audience with a spectacle of unparalleled beauty,” Tshambane said.

He expressed gratitude to ODC saying the sponsorship not only added a touch of luxury to the event but also reflected ODC’s dedication to fostering the arts and creating moments that would be cherished forever.

Meanwhile, Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) representative, Keenese Katisenge-Tizhani said BODANSA had since grown compared to the time it was accepted into the commission.

She said the association had now been included into the Olympic body. She said through the discipline of breaking, commonly known as Breakdance, the association’s athletes would start competing at the Olympics starting with the Paris 2024 Olympics games.

Katisenge-Tizhani said the ODC sponsorship came at the right time, adding that it would help in growing the sport to greater heights. She encouraged the association to be inclusive, applauding them for the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with Botswana Council for the Disabled.

“This is a step in the right direction, but you should be mindful that if you do not do much to satisfy the MoU it will be as good as not having signed,” Katisenge-Tizhani said. ENDS