Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers

Riel dance troupe Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers perform in the loft this Heritage Day.

The bright lights and big stages of Los Angeles did not intimidate the velskoen-clad youngsters from the tiny town of Wupperthal in the Cederberg mountains. Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers - a 15-member dance troupe that performed the riel dance, one of the oldest dance forms in South Africa, at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Long Beach in California - returned home with 13 medals. They will be performing with us in the loft today in a collaboration with Abavuki.

Born out of traditional Khoi and San ceremonial dances around the fire, the Riel Dance has been practiced by descendants of these indigenous cultures for many years. Recognised as a form of cultural expression, Riel dances include courtship rituals, and mimicking typical animal antics along with lots of bravado, showmanship and foot stomping in traditional outfits.

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