By Chandrea Gerber
A PRODUCTION exploring an innovative new concept in South African dance, Tapsula - an expressive and explosive cocktail of edgy township pantsula jive and classic tap - is now on at the Market Theatre.
Created by choreographer Cinda Eatock, Tapsula was born after Eatock returned from Broadway in 2000 and immersed herself in a unique, distinctly South African project: a combination of the pantsula dance movement with the artistic movements of tap.
Pantsula, with its township roots and a reckless gangster mood, became an increasingly popular dance style in the 1980s against the backdrop of the tightening of the apartheid grip.
Dancers try to out-perform one another, moving at lightning speed to carefully choreographed steps. Like jazz, dancers then improvise their own variations of the jive theme, and the audience becomes part of the performance, egging on their favourite dancers.
For the Market Theatre Productions show, Eatock joined forces with Vita and Fleur de Cap award winner, Mncedisi Shabangu, as artistic director of the show, and veteran theatre exponent, Josias Dos Moleele, as director.
Lesley "Ma Ada" More, of local music group "Alaska" spices up the dance sequences with pantsula moves he created for his band's repertoire and an electrifying new sound track from Eugene Mthethwa of local band "Trompies" adds sparks to the fire.
The impressive cast of 18 dancers and drummers combine pantsula and tap with Tswana and gumboot dancing and the rhythmic beat of drums. Florsheim shoes, Dodds and Dickie trousers, bodies that speak through a twist and a spin, feet that mesmerise with their speed combine skilfully to conjure up Tapsula magic.
Tapsula is on until 27 June at the Market Theatre, corner Bree and Wolhuter streets, Newtown. For more information, contact the theatre on 011 832 1641.
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