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Welly boot dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The African welly boot dance is an African dance, which is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots. In South Africa, these are more commonly called gumboots. It is believed by some to have been a forerunner of the tap dance. The boots are embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground.
According to an article from the Shropshire news site Shropshire STAR.com, the dance is the highlight of the performance of Black Umfolosi, a group from Zimbabwe described as one of Africa's most famous folk groups. The article explains:-
- "Their show has its roots in Zimbabwe's mines, where young men created a new brand of harmonic song and energetic dance to keep their spirits up through long and back-breaking days below ground."
Many of the steps and routines are parodies of the officers and guards who controlled the mines and workers barracks. 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.
One of the best youth groups of South Africa are the Corroboration Gumboot dancers from Ratanda, a township of the city of Heidelberg near Johannesburg under the young choreographer Mandoza Radebe.
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.