tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post5875385268229571654..comments2024-03-28T07:58:41.643-04:00Comments on pancocojams: The Influences Of American Minstrelsy & Early 20th Century Black Dances On South African Gumboot Dances Azizi Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-15269331668440968702018-08-29T07:39:37.436-04:002018-08-29T07:39:37.436-04:00Here's a link to a 2013 post about the Muganda...Here's a link to a 2013 post about the Muganda dance from Zambia (and northern Malawi) that is somewhat similar to African American originated stepping: <br /><a href="http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-traditional-dance-from-zambia-that.html" rel="nofollow">http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-traditional-dance-from-zambia-that.html</a>. <br /><br />I published that post on my zumlayah blog. <br /><br />I no longer publish any post to that blog, but it still contains some posts about traditional group dances that are performed by African Americans and/or by people in Africa and elsewhere in the African Diaspora.Azizi Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-25733205044271875862018-08-23T17:57:06.684-04:002018-08-23T17:57:06.684-04:00Here's another description of "indlamu&qu...Here's another description of "indlamu" from <a href="https://eshowe.com/zulu-dance/" rel="nofollow">https://eshowe.com/zulu-dance/</a><br />"Indlamu<br />This traditional dance is most often associated with Zulu culture. It is performed with drums and full traditional attire and is derived from the war dances of the warriors.<br /><br />This war dance is untouched by Western influence probably because it is regarded as a touchstone of Zulu identity. Full regimental attire, precise timing and uncompromised posture are required. It is danced by men of any age wearing skins (amabeshu), headrings, ceremonial belts, ankle rattles, shields and weapons like knobkerries and spears. While indlamu uses similar steps as girls do for ingoma, it has a much more calculated, less frantic feel, showing off muscular strength and control of the weapons with mock stabs at imaginary enemies. Dancers are more likely to make eye contact with the audience. Various drums and whistles accompany the dance.<br /><br />Both indlamu and ingoma are performed at weddings; women perform the Ingoma and men perform the Indlamu."<br />-snip-<br />This page also describes ingoma and some other traditional Zulu dances, but doesn't include any mention about isicathulo (gumboot dancing).<br />Azizi Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-81218437934094381102018-08-23T17:56:05.969-04:002018-08-23T17:56:05.969-04:00Some commenters to YouTube discussion threads on a...Some commenters to YouTube discussion threads on another South African dance form- "Indlamu"- also write that this dance form is the source of stepping. <br /><br />I think that those claims are far less credible than the statements about gumboot dancing being the source (or a source) of stepping.<br /><br />My guess is that some people who write that Indlamu is the source of historically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority stepping mistakenly think that both of these South African dances are versions of the same dance, even though the performance characteristics and attire for these two dances are quite different. <br /><br />Here's a link to a YouTube video entitled INDLAMU Kwazulu Natal Best Zulu Dance (Must Watch), published by TV YABANTU in 2015: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nExzW8NbaZY&t=13s" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nExzW8NbaZY&t=13s</a>.<br /><br />The summary statement for that video reads:<br />"Indlamu is a traditional Zulu Dance from South Africa where the dancer lifts one foot over his head and slams it down hard ,landing squarely on the down beat."<br /><br />The Indlamu competition It has over the years encouraged the youth to learn about our traditions and customs. Especially respect for one another's cultures.<br /><br />The yearly event continues to attract thousands of new young imaging dance groups and thousands of spectators."...Azizi Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893219718076521675.post-14939879955062695212018-08-23T17:32:26.034-04:002018-08-23T17:32:26.034-04:00A number of commenters who post on discussion thre...A number of commenters who post on discussion threads for YouTube gumboot dance videos write that stepping comes from gumboot dancing.<br /><br />My intention is not to totally discredit that assumption, but to raise the possibility that gumboot dancing may have been influenced by some of the same American elements that influenced stepping: i.e. minstrel dancing, particularly hambone (pattin juba), tap dancing, and jazz dancing, particularly the Lindy Hop.<br /><br /> Azizi Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963772326145910073noreply@blogger.com