25 Sep 2016

Music is at the centre of his heart, and having gone through vocations that instil discipline at every turn, Jazz maestro, Socca Moruakgomo approaches music with the same professional vigour.

Known for his prolific music career, this time Moruakgomo went an extra mile to come up with a training programme for the youth in performing arts.

He is the brain behind musical theatre dubbed Moratiwa: An African Tragedy, which premiered at Mantlwaneng theatre on Friday.

Moratiwa is a theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance performed by young Batswana who were selected across the country based on their talents.

The birth of Moratiwa came to be when Moruakgomo approached Limkokwing University of Creative Technology to pitch his dream seven months ago.

This was after the start of government’s Target 20 000 programme, which in its guidelines provided for performing arts.

Though, it seemed impossible at first, Minister of Education and Skills Development, Unity Dow, said at the musical premier that proper channels were followed and relevant stakeholders were engaged and a partnership between Limkokwing and Moruakgomo was agreed.

She said it was then that a countrywide road show fully financed by Limkokwing, started, searching for young Batswana who could act, dance and sing.

After a thorough screening, 100 talented youths were selected, hence the programme is dubbed Performing Arts 100.

The minister said it was a pilot project, and the students  would be graduating in October this year. ENDS