Gumboot dance
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The gumboot dance is an African dance that is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots. In South Africa, these are more commonly called gumboots.
The boots may be embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground.
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[edit] Sources
The dance likely originated among South African gold miners [1], and especially among their tough working conditions ( obscurity , dampness, ...). Many of the steps and routines are parodies of the officers and guards who controlled the mines and workers' barracks.[citation needed] It is a percutant dance made by idiophones or autophones (objects of the everyday life vibrating by themselves).
Gumboot dancers are a common sight on the streets and plazas of tourist areas in South Africa, such as the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
[edit] See also
The dance is the highlight of the performance of Black Umfolosi, a prominent Zimbabwean folk group.[2]
The album Graceland by the American pop singer Paul Simon has a song titled "Gumboots", which is performed in the style of South African township jive (mbaqanga) and contains performances by members of the Boyoyo Boys.
[edit] External links
- Lesole's Dance Project - South African Gumboots (example of dancers with bells on their gumboots)
[edit] References
- ^ Norris, Michele. "Step Afrika." All Things Considered. NPR (Nov. 28, 2003)
- ^ YouTube video of Black Umfolosi
