How would you describe gumboot dance?
The gumboot dance (or Isicathulo) is a South African dance that is performed by dancers wearing wellington boots. The boots may be embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground. This sound would be a code or a different calling to say something to another person a short distance away.
What is the purpose of the gumboots dance?
Gumboot dancing began in the mines, where mineworkers used their gumboots to create a code so that they could communicate with each other while they worked. From these roots, it evolved into a rich and colourful tradition. Mineworkers would use gumboot dancing as an opportunity to dress up and express themselves.
Who started gumboots dance?
South Africa
Gumboot History Gumboot dancing comes from South Africa workers who worked in the gold mines during the migrant labor system and oppressive Apartheid Pass Laws. During this time, workers were separated from their families and forced to work in harsh conditions (Gumboots: Rhythm is a Language ).
Why are gumboots called gumboots?
Originally only called Wellingtons, the nickname “gumboots” comes from the natural rubber – or “gum rubber” – that rain boots are made from.
What makes gumboot dance unique?
It is an amalgamation of language, music, and dance that still continues to evolve. The musical characteristics of gumboot dancing include inobtrusive changing meters, accents, and polyrhythms that are performed through imitation, improvisation, and call-and-response.
When was gumboots dance formed?
GUMBOOTS premiered at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa on June 29, 1999. The production sold out within days, earning standing ovations at every performance.
When did gumboot dance start?
What are the dancers trying to express through the gumboot dance?
Those involved in the Struggle would participate in the gumboot dance as a way to express their unification in the fight against the oppressive government. Even after the official end of apartheid in 1994, the gumboot dance remained a symbol of hope and solidarity.
What are 5 facts about gumboot dance?
Also known as Isicathulo, gumboot dancing started in the gold mines of South Africa. Mine owners often forbade conversation among workers, so they in turn developed gumboot dancing as a means of coded conversation. By placing bells on their boots, they could sound out conversation to a person a short distance away.
How long do gumboots last?
Based on deep-level mining where boots are subjected to the worst possible conditions for up to 12 hours/day, the boots last 90 shifts (about three months). Generally, gumboots can last longer, especially if properly cared for and not subjected to physical damage or high concentrations of chemicals, solvents or oils.
What are gumboots made of?
All Merry People gumboots are made with natural rubber outer and sole. To be transformed from latex into rubber (and then into your gumboots), natural latex undergoes vulcanisation, a process developed and patented by Charles Goodyear of Goodyear tyres.