Direct from Johannesburg, South Africa, comes a spirited ensemble of 20 dancers and musicians from two different troupes, the Gumboots and Pantsula Dance Companies, brought together on one stage for the Festival of South African Dance. Gumboots dancing, traditionally performed in rubber boots, was developed by black miners to accompany work songs and serve as a form of communication when talking and drumming were prohibited. Pantsula is a form of high-energy urban street dancing with quick and technical footwork that originated during apartheid in black townships. The Festival of South African Dance is currently on a nationwide tour and will be coming to the greater Sacramento region for two shows. Catch it live on Nov. 8 at the Harris Center in Folsom, or on Nov. 9 at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley. Visit Harriscenter.net or Thecenterforthearts.org for more information and to snag tickets.
**This write-up first appeared in print on page 10 of issue #251 (Oct. 23 – Nov. 6, 2017)**
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