Mapantsula festival to go national

The Southern African Theatre Initiative's Dance Unit, the State Theatre and Junxion Art Consulting, in partnership with Ruff Kutz Media and the Mapantsula Collabo (led by the Via Katlehong dance group), are aiming to revive this iconic township dance form by igniting mapantsula fever among the province's - and ultimately, the nation's - young people.

The festival starts at the Mphatlalatsane Theatre in Sedibeng (in the Vaal area) on Sunday, 2 May. It then travels to Rethabiseng Community Hall in Metsweding (in the Bronkhorstspruit area) on 22 May, and the Randfontein IEC Hall on the West Rand on 28 and 29 May. Further dates at other regions in the province, which are Ekurhuleni, Joburg City and Tshwane are also planned.

Finals in Pretoria

The top-five dance groups to be chosen from each area will go through to the finals, to be held at the State Theatre in Pretoria from 25 to 27 June. Following this provincial showcase and talent search, a national festival is also on the cards.

Celebrating this distinctively African dance form while giving Gauteng's mapantsula dancers an opportunity to showcase their skills and talent, the Gauteng Mapantsula Festival is set to be an annual event.

“It is high time that township dance is properly celebrated and brought to the fore as a dance form in its own right,” said SATI executive director Mpho Molepo.

A milestone in dance development

“We believe this festival is a milestone in dance development, giving a formal platform to the pantsula style while encouraging the young to engage in constructive activity and instilling in them a sense of discipline.”

Pantsula became a popular dance form in the 1980s among the township young. The Zulu word pantsula means to waddle like a duck or to walk with protruding buttocks - a colourful way of describing this flat-footed tap-and-glide style of African dancing.

The dance was not only a means for the young to express themselves freely; it also represented a way of life, of dressing, of music - a reflection of township culture at the time. Unfortunately, the dance became closely associated with crime and gangsterism, which has tainted its image.

Migrated to the mainstream

Today, the pantsula dance and its accompanying music - kwaito - has migrated from the townships into the mainstream. While many believe that commercialisation has diluted its authenticity, some groups, such as Via Katlehong, continue to capture the creativity, energy and spirit of rebellion that pantsula represented in the 1980s.

“What we want to bring to the fore for the young is that pantsula culture reflects an attitude, a lifestyle, a sense of ownership and purpose, and a will to live positively,” explained Molepo. “The festival aims to revive the pantsula dance as a symbol of the aspirations and attitudes of the young of the 21st century.”

To attend the festival or enquire about entering your dance group, contact SATI at +27 (0) 11 838 8932.