Types of Dance
Bull Dance: a dance that originated in
the cramped confines of the mine dormitories imitating a bull with
the arms held aloft and the legs brought down with a thump. The
rural girls have their own version.
The Hunting
Dance imitates the actions of hunting and the bravery it
requires. This fiery dance is danced using sticks instead of spears
to avoid injury and was danced before the hunt began. The girls also
dance their own version but to welcome the men back from the hunt.
The Dance of the Small Shield dates from
Shaka's time and is a rhythmic dance used to encourage military
unity. Today it is normally performed at Royal occasions. A similar
dance using a spear and shield is the umGhubho.
The umQhogoyo involves violent shaking of the
upper body.
The umBhekuzo represents the ebb and
flow of the tides with the men alternately advancing and retreating
on the audience. Those at the ends lift up their aprons exposing
their buttocks.
The dancers' bodies move in snakelike unison
accompanied by singing in the UmChwayo.
The umGhebulo appears as if the dancers want to
pull down the sky or climb an imaginary ladder to it.
The iliKhomba is a graceful dance with rhythmic
movements of the upper body accompanied by the swinging of a long
decorated stick.