LIVE VIRTUAL CLASS
Donation – $7-25
Drumstruck Ubuntu Workshops Celebrate South African Dances – Direct from Johannesburg to you!
Join Tumelo Seleke, master of South African dances past and present and Drumstruck's inexhaustibly energetic dance captain, in an exploration of South African dance. Tumelo teaches the traditional dances from the Tswana tribe that borrows inspiration from animals and is a showy, exuberant dance. The tribal movements were modernized when men from rural villages went to work in the mines around Johannesburg and created the Gumboots dance, a unique dance that is the precursor to step dance where wellington boots, known as gumboots in South Africa, are incorporated into the dance. Be sure to wear your rain boots or work boots! Participants can test their new skills in the live class on Saturday, Sept. 26 as Tumelo will be streaming a live instruction of this amazing experience. Each course features contextual explanations of the dance origins, purpose and how each has evolved. All ages and skill levels welcome.
Sept 26: Join Tumelo Seleke, master of South African dances past and present and Drumstruck's inexhaustibly energetic dance captain, in an exploration of South African dance. In the final workshop of the series, the dances of then and now are combined with the addition of the modern Pantsula dance that borrows moves from tribal and Gumboots styles but is performed in the clubs and on the streets.
About the artist and group
Drumstruck is the first interactive drum-theatre experience with a drum in every seat so that the audience becomes part of the show. Drumstruck presents exhilarating traditional African beats, a multi-talented world-class cast and uncontainable, explosive energy! It has been hailed, "STOMP meets The Lion King" by critics at the Edinburgh Fringe. The interactive musical extravaganza was created in 2002 by South African entrepreneur Warren Lieberman and Kathy-Jo Wein. It is the theatrical version of the team-building performance group Drum Café, which brings companies together through drumming and dancing together as a means of encouraging unity – an initiative created to get people from different races and backgrounds together harmoniously post-aparthied. The first show was held at the Theatre on Mandela Square in Johannesburg. It has since toured the world, including 10 consecutive years in Japan and Off-Broadway. Drumstruck creates a sense of Africa that is undeniably genuine and heartfelt. The show takes its audiences on a journey through South Africa through drums, Gumboot dancing, traditional tribal dances and song. During in-person performances, each audience member is provided with their own djembe to play and sing along with the show, representing the sharing of music present in African music. In 2020, due to a pause on live-performances, Drumstruck has developed a series of virtual "Ubuntu" Workshops to continue to spread the joy of unity and sharing South African arts & culture with the world. For more information and to book your Drumstruck Ubuntu Workshops, contact: Drumstruckworkshops@gmail.com.
Tumelo Seleke, Drumstruck’s dance captain, is a singer, dancer, actor, choreographer and a drummer. He started dancing at a very young age at the African Theatre and Dance Co. then later moved on to join Africa Umoja to perform professionally as a theatre practitioner. He has taught the dances of South Africa, traditional and modern, to students of every age and skill level and has performed in more than 30 countries all over the world. Tumelo has worked with the Drum Café doing the Shebeen Show then grew to become a drummer and a facilitator. He recently starred in the hit musical “African Footprint,” performing a season in Dubai in 2019 and performed with Drumstruck at Dollywood in 2020.