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Cape Town - 'Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers' - a riel dance group from Wupperthal in the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape - won several gold medals, including one for traditional dance, at the recent World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles last week.
The team earned gold medals in the Ethnic Folk Dance category, the Open Dance and Tap Dance categories, and a silver in the Open Dance category for their spectacular gumboot routine.
The 17 youths in the group are from villages in the Cederberg region around Wupperthal. They arrived at Cape Town International singing and whistling, rejoicing in their victories.
'Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers' were kitted out in their green and gold tracksuits with the words 'Team South Africa' emblazoned on their backs. The red leather shoes in which they riel-danced their way back into SA are a trademark from Wupperthal famous veldskoen factory - the oldest shoe factory in the country.
The victorious riel dancers arrived at Cape Town International Airport on Wednesday, 22 July.
The 'Trappers' won the Grand Champion Award for best group performance, as well as the gold medal in the ‘Ethnic Folk Dance Category’ at the South African Championships of the Performing Arts 2014. This performance qualified them for Team South Africa 2014/15 to take part at The World Championships of Performing Arts 2015, which took place on 18 July 2015.
You can see them performing at the SA Championships of the Performing Arts 2014 here:
Riel dance has its roots in the ancient rituals of the San and the Khoi, and is a dance of celebration, victory and courtship.
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