Pole dancer, Beverly 'Bev' Sibanda buys new car

HARARE - "Magnetic" pole dancer and leader of the erotic dancing group - the Sexy Angels - Beverly Sibanda - is ready to rev up after buying her first ever car.

The new acquisition comes against a strong showing of her raunchy dances at some of the city's entertainment venues. Christened Bevy by her adoring fans, the indefatigable dancer, however, will have to wait for a while to drive her modest Honda CRV; she has no licence.

Bev's manager Haperz Mapimhidze who told the Daily News that the charming "queen of poles" was floating in the clouds, will drive the car until she regularises her driving status.

"She bought a Honda CRV type from Harare. She does not have a driver's licence, so I am her driver for the mean time. Bev is a full time dancer and this is a lesson to other upcoming artists that if dancing is taken seriously, it will definitely reward," said Mapimhidze.

Owing to her dancing skills, arguably exceptional, Bev quickly became the most sought-after artist in the show biz industry. A number of entertainment joints have existing contracts with Bev. She is usually fully booked every week at various venues across the capital and outside.

"Because of the demand from entertainment joints, now I have no time to rest. I would like to have one showcase per day but because virtually every club is after me I end up doubling my shows to meet the demand," the dancer told the Daily News.

Bev, unlike her mentor Zoey Noleen of the Red Angels, performs in virtually every entertainment spot - from downtown to upmarket places. Her growing reputation as a dancer par excellence has taken her to far flung areas such as Beitbridge and Zvishavane. But she is refusing to wallow in ecstasy despite purchasing a car - a sign that she is on the upward trend and that she is edging closer to the "we have arrived" club.

Instead, the local dancing industry is yet to reward to levels she appreciates.

"Promoters usually handsomely pay musicians that partner with dancers for concerts but pay us peanuts despite that we are the ones who make the music enjoyable - we spice up the concerts," said the part time dee-jay.

Sibanda, a professional dancer, is planning to be a musician in the near future.

"In a few years to come I want to be as popular as the American songbird Beyonce Knowles," she said.

While that may be a bridge too far to cross, Bev can take heart from what her skills have brought home so far. She has been making good and bad headlines too. The proud dancer has previously been a target of unsavoury remarks from detractors who labelled her a "stripper" while others have said she is a "stalker" who eyed Suluman Chimbetu and young Peter Moyo.

Yet these brickbats have not clouded her career which is blossoming rapidly - making bad headlines count for nothing. Born in Harare's Greencroft suburb, she attended Selbourne Routledge School before enrolling at Zengeza High 2 School and then Charles Clerk School for her Ordinary Levels.

"They called me Shakira while I was still at school because of my dancing skills," she said.

Artists often celebrate their fortune by splashing big on top- of-the-range cars. Sungura ace Alick Macheso unveiled a new X5 BMW for his 44th birthday celebrations in Harare Gardens recently. Reggae artiste Jah Prayzah is moving around in a decent Mercedes Benz which he claims is a result of his sweat through music, a clear indication that arts industry is now paying.