UMDADADA

Like with most Ndebele traditional dances, the name describes not only the dance, but the music as well, or even the rhythm, the clapping.

Umdadada is a powerful, high energy female courtship dance, used to display one’s feminine abilities, directed specifically at challenging the interest eligible bachelors.

There are no clear cuts sexual undertones, like the shaking of the pelvic gurgle to indicate one’s supposed sexual ‘expertise’ as is common with most dances international, like kwasakwasa, mbakumba etc but still a dance that will hold its audience spellbound.

Of course the’ cock and hen’ action is clearly discernible as the male joins in the dance with ingquzu. The mdadada dancer will pick her man and stick to him, dancing with him like a protective chicken.

The image portrayed by the talented female dancer as she accompanies her male counterpart is a happy one. The two dancers are now engrossed on each other , their only purpose being to dance , dance for each other, to please each other, knowing the other wants the same. Yes, a dance of love, a dance of happiness. Umdadada and ingquzu will hold audiences spellbound anywhere. Ingquzu is fast, faster even to gumboot, tap dance, and is designed to show strength and vitality. It is a man’s dance, a healthy man’s dance, a real man, a strong man.

The energy expended on this dance can not fail to draw audiences.

I have seen people watching this dance being transformed to a happy disposition. With a smile on their faces they would watch, happily the whole world forgotten, if only for that particular period.

©Bekezela Dube 2009

ISITSHIKITSHA

Isitshikitsha is a Ndebele traditional ceremonial dance, historically performed for the King’s pleasure. It is a dance routine that employs a unique brand of rhythm and style. It would be correct to claim Isitshikitsha is in fact a composite of the rhythms, one always coming in to break the other before it became monotonous, thereby creating a rare harmonious, continuous patten as a result of these two rhythms. This is Isitshikitsha the rhythm created from the clapping that accompanies the Isitshikitsha song.

Isitshikitsha is a dance as well as a song. A male dance as well as a female dance, but women do not lift their feet high to reveal the area above their knees, even then this is avoided skillfully in a dance, that is all powerful and display of energy.

Isitshikitsha is one dance I would recommend to a traditional dance connoisseur. Why? Because it does not rely on any suggestive or clever use of the pelvic girdle to draw interest.

Most dances derive mileage from extensive use of sexual connotations, making one wonder whether these same dances would be able to generate similar audiences without lurid sexual references.

But isitshikitsha is a dance above all dances. It has the ability to keep audiences spellbound for very long periods. This is a fact I know it.

Isitshikitsha emphasizes, not only the skillful use of limbs for dramatizations, but artistic representations of all dramatized actions and situations, together with the powerful stopping of feet on the ground.

The dance emphasizes skillful use of power for survival, is a dance as well as sport, created for the king’s enjoyment as warriors reenacted stories on the dance flow during festivals serving also as a gauge for the soldiers’ morale.

Nowadays there are not so many opportunities for Isitshikitsha dance, but the dance is still performed at many low profile gatherings. Judge for yourself. If you are decent, not too fussy, respectful then Isitshikitsha is your show.

We have selected only the best of talent for this show. How can you miss out?

©Bekezela Dube 2009

Silakho

An 80 minute musical dance drama, set in the period before the coming of the white man to Matebeland.
Silakho showcases the story of the collapse of the Ndebele state. with no demobilisation benefits, ex-Ndebele fighters, rank and file found them selves dispossessed , unemployed, helpless and desperate.
They tracked into the white man's towns to find employment as servants for their colonial masters' wives even against their pride so they could pay taxes; dog taxes, head tax etc.
Green pastures lure these men to Egoli (Wenela) place of gold and possible riches, leaving home promises of marriage.
The play culminates with a Ndebele traditional wedding ceremony as these men return from eGoli to ask their fiancees' hand in marriage, and a celebration of Ndebele traditional music and dance
Silakho has a cast of 30 people.
Written and produced by Bekezela Dube.