Richard Loring's African Footprint

Official Site

The hypnotic heartbeat of the African drum, the soulful saxophone and the haunting pennywhistle, meld Afro- and Euro-centric music and dance—Kwela-jive, traditional gumboot, tap, contemporary ballet, hip-hop pantsula—into an ‘explosive stampede of song and dance’ that tells the vibrant and diverse history of South Africa.

n 1999, Richard Loring, television and theatre star and show producer, recruited a group of young people from the dusty streets of Soweto. From hundreds of hopefuls, only 30 young aspiring performers were chosen.

The next year was taken up with vocal classes and intensive dance instruction which, for most of these youngsters, was their first opportunity to enter the world of professional theater.

Seemingly going nowhere, the long hours of rehearsal were rewarded when, on December 31st 1999, African Footprint was invited to perform before Nelson Mandela in Block B on Robben Island, the very place where South Africa’s leader had been a prisoner for some 18 years.

The result was an explosive and emotional performance televised around the world and seen by over 250 million viewers.

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