Lesole’s Dance Project: Zulu, Gumboot, and Street Dances from South Africa
About
Dance your way to the tip of the African continent! Experience three exciting cultures: traditional Ndlamudance from Zulu villages that give a snapshot of the clothing, customs, live drumming, and high energy of South Africa, the moves and percussive sounds of Gumboot, and Pantsula, an upbeat urban dance like American hip-hop, but with a cultural twist, that audience volunteers are invited to learn! Lesole’s Dance Project is a traditional and modern dance company founded in 2003 by native South African Lesole Maine. The company has performed to acclaim throughout the U.S. and locally at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Smithsonian, and area schools. Workshops and residencies available.
Lesole Zachariah Maine was born in Sebokeng, South Africa. This small township just outside of Johannesburg, rich in diversity, culture, and tradition, was an environment where he recognized his love of dance and appreciation for the many ethnic customs taking place around him. Fluent in more than three languages, Lesole is able to use his heritage to enhance his performances. In 1995, he was awarded a scholarship to study with Johannesburg-based Moving Into Dance Company, where he studied contemporary, jazz, Afro-fusion, modern, ballet, jive, hip hop, traditional, and modern South African dance. After graduating from the Community Dance Teaching Course, Lesole was offered a position as a dancer and teacher in 1997. He has since performed and taught dance workshops in several countries, including Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, France, Germany, Holland, Jordan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Nigeria, Portugal, Switzerland, and the U.S.
For the past five years, he has performed several solos by Vincent Mantsoe, Gregory Maqoma, and Themba Nkabinde’s pieces and has worked with internationally acclaimed choreographers and companies, such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; South Africans Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe, Sylvia Glasser, Gregory Maqoma, and Jackie Semela; Michel Kelemenis from France; and Canadian Joe Laughlin.
Since his move to the United States in 2002, Lesole has been involved in several projects. He was a resident instructor for the Kuumba Ensemble Heritage House Community Theater and a guest lecturer/residence and thought master class at the University of Colorado, Community College of Baltimore County, Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2002, Lesole received a grant from the Washington Post to teach African dance to students in the Montgomery County Public Schools system, where he emphasized cultural awareness and leadership skills to encourage academic achievement. Lesole performed with the University of Maryland-based choreographer Alvin Mayes and Nejla Yatkin at Dance Place and the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, D.C.
Lesole is currently working with several recognized dance companies, including Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Jane Franklin Dance, Step Afrika, Knock-on-Wood Tap Studios, Arena Stage, Dance & Praise Cultural Arts Center, and the Cathedral School for the Performing Arts.
Artist’s website: Lesole’s Dance Project
Virtual program options available – contact us for more information.
Performances
Dancing through South Africa
Dancing through South Africa is divided into a three-part program that emphasizes the role of dance in promoting a deeper understanding and acceptance among people of different backgrounds and cultural traditions. The program supports the diversity of the school system as it recognizes that even within the African continent, Western, Eastern, Northern, and Southern traditions vary (many students have already been exposed to some aspects of other parts of Africa). Students learn best by “doing” and Lesole’s Dance Project actively engages the audience throughout all three dance experiences:
Traditional Zulu/tribal dance
Gumboot – originated in the gold mines in South Africa during the oppressive Apartheid years.
Pantsula – modern social/hip-hop dance
Single $750/Back-to-Back $1000
Larger ensemble available – contact us for pricing and information.
Fees are for daytime school programs in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia only.
Evening, weekend, workshop, and non-school fees differ – please contact us.
Additional travel fees apply.
Workshops
Students learn elements of traditional Zulu, Gumboot, and street dances, songs in the Zulu language, and drumming techniques while exploring the culture and history of South Africa. Workshop topics may be tailored to suit teachers’ goals and students’ ages and abilities. Workshop offerings include:
Songs in the Zulu language
South African dancing
Gumboot dancing
Drumming
Evening, weekend, workshop, and non-school fees differ – please contact us.
Additional travel fees apply.
Lesole brought great energy to the program and to our group of young people. It was a pleasure to work with him!
– Youth and Economic Empowerment Program Manager, Plan International USA
A thoroughly enjoyable & educational performance! Our students were very engaged and entertained while gaining valuable knowledge about South African culture and traditions. Highly recommended!
– PTA Cultural Arts Coordinator, Longfellow Elementary School (HCPSS)
Outstanding performance that truly engaged students K-5.
– PTA Cultural Arts, Windy Hill Elementary School (Calvert County Public Schools)
The excitement level and engagement was amazing! Students will always remember this because they were actively involved.
– Willards ES
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| Audience Age | |
| In-Person or Virtual | |
| Program Type | |
| Theme | Character/SEL, Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages |