Over 40s to tango in Valentine pageant

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday February 14, 2008 00:00

The beauty pageant will coincide with a Valentine's dinner on the same night. One of the co-owners of the restaurant, Shima Monageng, said preparations for the Valentine show have been progressing according to plan. He said the beauty contest would be presided over by five judges. The judges will be University of Botswana (UB) academic Tiro Sebina, political activist Rhoda Sekgororoane and Gabz Fm presenter, McJon Mosenene. The director of ceremonies will be showbiz promoter Zenzele Hirshfeld. Unlike the conventional beauty contests, Monageng said the contestants would not parade in swimming costumes. He said they will be dressed in their own attire that they feel comfortable in.

But the emphasis of the beauty contest will be on jazz music. The contestants will have to display their skills in dancing to this music. Their general knowledge about jazz will also be tested.

Monageng said part of the prizes for the pageant will be sponsored by Windhoek Laager.  In addition, there will be cash prizes for the queen and her two princesses. 

So far eight women have already been identified to enter the competition. Monageng said they have been going through their paces to rehearse for the pageant. He said initially there were 12 would be beauty queens but four chickened out. But for the organisers, even eight is still a good number because it is manageable. Monageng said in the past, their Valentine's dinner dances have been well attended without any special events. This year they are expecting a bigger crowd following the inception of the beauty pageant.

There will be no entry fee for the Thursday event. Guests at each table will be treated to a bottle of champagne. For Monageng, hosting special events is one way of saying thank you to their customers.

Meanwhile, Satchmo's jazz cafe will also be organising a show for Valentine featuring the likes of Shanti-Lo, Tsilo Baitsile and Abraxas band. The owner of the club, Steve Raman said patrons will be welcomed with a drink while ladies will roses. Patrons will have to part with P30 to enjoy the Valentine's show with their dates.

In another Valentine day's show, Cresta Lodge will be hosting a dinner dance, featuring saxophonist Lister Boleseng. When Boleseng takes a break from serenading the couples with his sax, jazz DJ SK (Soares Katumbela) will be on standby. Cresta Lodge sales and marketing manager Dennis Mmolai said their tickets are going for P180.