Artists make a song and dance of hygiene

Written by: Silusapho Nyanda

The Future Stars Theatre Project in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, has collaborated with a Pretoria-based music recording company to produce a dance that teaches the youth about the importance of hygiene during the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Future Stars’ Roger Ntuli (38) says the choreography brings to life a song about the virus that was recorded by Chaithoo Studio artists Ria, Diya, Dinesh ‘Mr D’ Chaithoo and Prince ‘Shembry’ Sithole. 

Ntuli says the nine- to 14-year-old dancers came up with the choreography and the dance is being shared virally.

“The production ideas came from the dancers. It was easier for them to create something relevant to their peers. We want to make sure that the message reaches young people and that they understand the coronavirus does not only affect the elderly.”

In the popular video, the dancers are seen wearing masks and gloves and carrying placards that call on their peers to stay safe. They demonstrate the elbow greeting, sanitising their hands and social distancing. 

“When we did the video, we used information from the Department of Health as a guiding tool. We made sure that the message we were conveying was accurate and in line with what government is advising people to do,” Ntuli says.

The dance video by Future Stars Theatre Project won a lockdown challenge hosted by Chaithoo Studios, in which people were invited to record and submit a dance done to the studio’s COVID-19 song.

The song is a combination of electronic dance music, gqom, hip-hop and Indian fusion and contains the lyrics “Wash your hands every day. Sanitise every hour of the day… Sanitise, sanitise, don’t delay. Use your soap every day. Use your soap, don’t delay… Corona I am not your friend. Go away. Go away.”