Welly boot dance
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The African welly boot dance is an African dance, which one may conjecture from the name is performed by dancers wearing Wellington boots. It is believed by some to have been a forerunner of the tap dance. The boots are embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground.
According to an article from the Shropshire news site Shropshire STAR.com, the dance is the highlight of the performance of Black Umfolosi, a group from Zimbabwe described as one of Africa's most famous folk groups. The article explains:-
- "Their show has its roots in Zimbabwe's mines, where young men created a new brand of harmonic song and energetic dance to keep their spirits up through long and back-breaking days below ground."
Many of the steps and routines are parodies of the officers and guards who controlled the mines and workers barracks.