Harare — SEASONED South African dance and music queens Platform One who came through renowned musician Freddy Gwala's hands are expected to arrive in the country tomorrow ahead of three performances in the capital.

The outfit famous for their hits such as Ise Nqani together their scintillating Zulu dances and cultural attire comes to Zimbabwe as part of an exchange programme with local dance group Amavhitikhazi, who have just graduated into a band. The two outfits, supported by Albert Nyathi's Imbongi, will perform at Cresta Oasis on Thursday, Sports Diner on Friday before putting up a farewell gig at Londoner's Sports Bar in Harare on Saturday.

Zanele Nkomazana of Amavhitikhazi said they saw it imperative to invite Platform One to Zimbabwe so that they would impart to them their knowledge on how to run a full band. "This is an exchange programme with Platform One because just like us they started off as backing vocalists and dancers for an established musician, Freddy Gwala before they started their own band.

"Since we have graduated from being just a theatre and dance group, we decided to invite them here so that we will have the chance to learn from them how to run our own band. "We have a lot of similarities with them since we were also backing girls for Albert Nyathi and Lovemore Majaivana.

"We were strictly on theatre and dance but now we are a band composing and recording our own music and their visit would be very enriching to us," she said. Zanele said people should expect cross-cultural performances from Platform One and her outfit.

"The two of us (groups) are prepared to showcase our different cultures at the shows. These are not songs and dances from South Africa and Zimbabwe alone but also from Swaziland and Botswana, since we have also travelled there. "We also want them (Platform One) to teach us their Zulu dances while we teach them our own Zimbabwean dances," she explained.

Zanele also revealed that plans were currently underway for her outfit to go to record their music in South Africa with Platform One's assistance. "We are intending to go and record our music in South Africa with their assistance at the end of September, that is if resources permit," she said.

Amavhitikhazi was formed in Harare in 2004 and is believed to be one of the pioneering dance groups in Zimbabwe.