January 7, 2004
By Tammy O'Reilly
THEATRE enthusiasts can take a peek into the window of the emotions and vibrancy of African life when the dance spectacular Gumbeat takes to the stage this month.
Using state of the art equipment, a cast of over 40 members and a sensational soundtrack, Gumbeat will be on at the Civic Theatre from 28 January and will run for four weeks before heading off to Cape Town and Durban.
Combining the musical talents of world-renowned composers, Lebo M of Disney's Lion King fame and the late Siva Devar, the show promises to be one of a kind.
The soundtrack is performed by the 70-piece KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and, says Lebo M, is excellent in that "although the music is played by an orchestra, it is not restricted to the traditional means of orchestra playing".
Bernard Jay, CEO of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre says: "We bring a lot of shows to the theatre but we kept looking for an African show that we could be a part of. We're delighted to have such talents as Siva and Lebo."
An enormously entertaining part of the show is said to be the gumboot dancing. Originally developed in the mines of South Africa as a communication medium among mine workers, gumboot dancing is ferociously energetic and Gumbeat has developed it into a contemporary spectacle.
Usually performed by small groups of competing dancers, this segment is performed by a large group of dancers executing the steps in perfect syncopation.
In addition to the gumboot spectacular, traditional Venda and Zulu rhythms have been incorporated to develop dance creations in the show with the use of sticks and percussion instruments.
Highly skilled contemporary African dancers have been trained to create a modern and unique style of movement. The refreshing fusion of traditional rhythms with modernised dance moves ensures the roots stay in the past yet at the same time remains modern.
The dance spectacular is on at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre from 28 January. Tickets are available at Computicket from R100. Group bookings can be made at the booking office of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre. For more information contact the theatre on 011 877 6854.
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