Dancing through South Africa
Single show - $625
Back-to-back shows - $950
Fees above are for school programs in Maryland, Washington, DC and northern Virginia only. For non-school or out of area programs, please contact Class Acts Arts for details.
Additional travel fee will apply.
Artist:
Lesole's Dance Project
Description:
Dancing through South Africa is divided into a three-part program that emphasizes the role of dance in promoting a deeper understanding and acceptance among people of different backgrounds and cultural traditions. The program supports the diversity of the school system as it recognizes that even within the African continent, Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern traditions vary (many students have already been exposed to some aspects of other parts of Africa). Students learn best by “doing” and Lesole’s Dance Project actively engages the audience throughout all three dance experiences:
- traditional Zulu/tribal dance
- Gumboot – see description below*
- Pantsula – modern social/hip-hop dance
*Gumboot dancing originated in the gold mines in South Africa during the oppressive Apartheid years. They were chained to their stations and were forbidden to talk to each other. They stood knee-high in infected water, which caused skin diseases and resulted in lost time from work. Those in charge of the mine work soon discovered that it was too expensive to drain the mines, so they made the workers wear Gumboots (rubber boots). The miners used the gumboots as a method of communication by slapping the boots, stomping their feet and rattling their ankle chains. These sounds later became a form of recreation for men during the long months away from their families and thus the tradition of Gumboots was born!
Study guides:
