Slavery to Liberation- The African American Experience, 2019a

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Emphasis on Individuality
Both gumboot dancing and Steppin’ rely on dance troupes to emphasize their
individuality, which manifests in two ways: individual improvisations and group
individuality. Although both styles of dance rely heavily on the synchronicity of its
dancers, they do not deny the virtuosic talents of individuals, and individual
improvisations are common practice. The emphasis on individuality is also seen
between dance troupes, especially between fraternities and sororities who include
signature steps that identify one group from another. Individuality and the need to
constantly create new steps has contributed significantly to the constant creation of
new ideas either through synchronous choreography, individual improvisations, or
inclusion of props, songs.
Audience Participation
Contemporary gumboot dancing and Steppin’ are most commonly choreographed and
performed for an audience. But traditionally, both dance styles were not created with
an audience in mind. Fraternity and sororities performed steps for each other as a form
of camaraderie, and gumboot dancing was a means of connection and communication
between miners. Although Steppin’ has evolved to rely heavily on group discourse in
today’s performances, the routines of both dance styles include carefully placed steps
that aim to elicit audience responses and participation for successful performance. Both
gumboot dancing and Steppin’ have also grown beyond the audience to include
education in their performing repertoire. Non-profit organizations have used the dance
styles to mentor troubled youth.
GUMBOOT DANCING AND STEPPIN’ AS A TOOL FOR
DEVELOPING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE LISTENERS
South African gumboot dancing and African American Steppin’ are both current,
authentic vehicles for teaching students of all ages about the historical, societal, and