The National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) on Tuesday engaged no fewer than 51 artistes and members of staff in capacity building to improve productivity and standard of theatrical performance in the country.

Hajia Kaltume Bulama-Gana, Artistic Director of NTN, during the opening ceremony of the three-day training and orientation exercise in Lagos, said this was also to improve staff output generally.

‘Equipping new staff and artistes with the necessary knowledge and skills is essential for their success and the overall well-being of the national troupe.

‘This workshop serves several key purposes like achieving smooth transition, enhanced skills, improvment in civil service knowledge and increased confidence for all staff.

‘To the trainees, I want to emphasise that this is the best opportunity you have to learn most of all the basics of the public service, and your professional discipline. Pay attention and ensure you ask questions.

‘I trust the credibility of our resource persons to respond to you. And to my
other members of staff please note that I have instructed heads of departments to prepare a training schedule.

‘As our funding continue to improve, we will send as many as we can to various training that will improve your capacity to strengthen our organisation,’ she said.

One of the resource persons, Dr Benjamin Udoka, Senior Lecturer, Department of Theatre and Media Studies, University of Calabar, said during the course of the training, he would take participants on the importance of dance to nation building.

Udoka said they would be exposed to the function of dance in relation to the unity of Nigeria.

See also NANTA partners Tour Operators Union of Ghana to improve inter-Africa travels

‘I will be taking you on how to use your bodies as instruments for the art, which is in dance. You are all cultural ambassadors, you owe this nation huge responsibility.

‘So, considering this short time, I want you all to give me your bodies and minds to make this training worth the while,’ he said.

Also, professional
drummer and dancer, Isioma Williams, said participants would be taught the traditional aspect of Nigerian culture with little of the western culture.

Williams, the Chief Executive Officer of Drumsview Concept, advised the management of NTN to organise more training programmes to further enlighten the artistes.

Renowned Nollywood veteran actor, Norbert Young, lectured the participants on dynamics of the stage and how to maximise its use.

The actor said he would also let them know how to project their voices while on stage, regardless of how large an auditorium might be, even without the use of the microphone.

‘As a properly trained theatre artiste in various nuances of the stage, I will be taking you on the dynamics of the stage. I encourage the management of NTN to build up on this training, organise refresher courses,’ he said. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria