Festival of South African Dance

From the diamond mines and townships of Johannesburg come two spirited dance troupes whose art forms speak volumes about black South African culture. Gumboot dancing—performed in rubber Wellington boots—was developed by black miners to accompany work songs and serve as a form of communication when talking and drumming were prohibited. Pantsula, an energetic urban street dance with precise, technical footwork, originated in the black townships during Apartheid. Both dances are grounded in social movements and have evolved over decades, along with the country's shifting political climate.