South African Street Dance

Project Description

The South African Street Dance Initiative at El Taller will consist of a 8 week class series, 2 social nights, and a final showcase for the class participants. The class will consist of movements from small to big, having everything to do with the feet, quick steps, and knee patterns to go with South African dance music (such as Gqom, Amapiano, Afrohouse, Deep House, and more). The movements will have a person’s body experiencing each beat, sound, and song. The class will have an easy to follow build up, created specifically to put an individual at ease and be comfortable with child-like movements and free expression. 

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South African street dance is a vibrant, social, and cohesive environment. It is a form of expression that was first formally recognized in the 1950’s in the townships, where settlers forcibly moved Black people from their land to informal settlements with nothing but just clothes on their backs. South African Street Dance was born out of expressions of love, joy, community, frustration of day-to-day injustices and adversities, and happiness for life. 

Project Objectives

• Integrating adults and youth in a transgenerational class series and performance. 

• Showcasing the rich culture of South African dance and music to the Greater Lawrence community. 

• Connecting historical and political context of music, dance, and resistance in diverse communities.