Professor Sheds Light on African Dance Styles in Cute Video, Many React
- A college professor, Elizabeth Leiba, has educated social media users about the origin of Xibelani dance, also referred to as Southern African twerk
- Elizabeth said the dance has evolved just like other African dance styles which have been in existence for many centuries
- She shared an adorable video of some ladies doing the Xibelani dance and many people on social media have reacted
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!
A college professor identified as Elizabeth Leiba has taken to social media to discuss about the origin of a dance style called Xibelani which people also refer to as Southern African twerk.
Leiba, who shared a video of some ladies dancing and twisting their waists on her LinkedIn page, said the Xibelani dance is a native dance of the Tsonga women of the Limpopo Province in Southern Africa.
Source: UGC
Where does the dance name come from?
According to Elizabeth, the name of the dance comes from the Xitsonga language, and it can be translated to "hitting a rhythm".
In her words:
"African dance styles vary across tribes and nations, but all are deeply steeped in ritual and history.
"The drum is a crucial component of African tradition. It could be considered the heartbeat of the tribe.
"Apart from the drum, African dance is also characterized by the clapping of hands and stomping of feet."
The professor said Africans brought dance with them to North America during the slave era but they were not allowed to dance.
She said:
"However, they found ways to adapt their dancing and continue their traditions despite their circumstances."
According to Elizabeth, these African dances stayed with the people for many centuries and they have since evolved into some of the world's most popular dance styles. Some of them include the Charleston, tap dancing, the Lindy Hop, the Jitterbug, the twist, hip hop, crunking, and twerking.
Many react to this
Monique Y. said::
"I like the name “Xibelani” much more than “twerking”."
Martin Pratt commented:
"Kerryann I. A lot of dances we do here in US have it’s origins in Africa literally every hip movement matches sometimes you can tell what tribe a Black American or even which black community has roots to Africa by their local hood dance."
Aaron J Fulton wrote:
"Twerking is like the rebellious daughter of momma Xibelani. Lmao. Just kidding. It’s amazing to see how dances have evolved over the years. Thanks for sharing. Elizabeth Leiba I’m becoming one of your biggest fans. Thank you for sharing."
Dr. Tana M. Session said:
"Love my people! Can't wait for my trip to Africa in December!"
PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel
Lady wows many with amazing legwork in heels
In other news, a Nigerian lady has got many people talking after displaying amazing dancing skills in a viral video that was shared on social media.
In the video, the lady was surrounded by a lot of people who were wowed as she did the legwork dance in heels.
The young lady wore a short gown and danced effortlessly to the excitement of her audience who kept screaming.
Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!
Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Mxolisi Mngadi (Editor) Mxolisi Mngadi is an entertainment reporter. He graduated in 2002 from Damelin with a Diploma in Journalism, majoring in African and International Studies, Journalism and Electronic Media. He then started his journalism career at the Daily Sun newspaper, went on to The Citizen, and worked as a senior reporter at News24. He has been a writer for more than 15 years.
