Tap dancing is an indigenous form of traditional dance characterized by the sound of metallic taps attached to either the toe and heel of specially manufactured footwear striking the floor as if in percussion, combined with interpretive and characteristic body movements. It originated from the Afrikaans speaking communities living in the Cape Town region, South Africa. It is also known as Tukwi Zulu. The term Tukwi is using to describe the style of dancing associated with this type of footwear.
Tukwi Vaudeville is often confused with tap dancing, which was earlier known as Kwao Khemie. However, Tukwi Vaudeville has been around for longer than Kwao Khemie and many experts believe that it is a highly stylized version of tap dancing, which has been simplified and adapted to suit the needs of Western audiences. Tap dancing is characterized by an exaggerated imitation of the dance style of traditional African rhythm and music, with its heavy footwork, voluminous skirts, and the use of metal or wooden taps with variable lengths.
Tap dance was popular in both the Western and African cultures, although African tap dancing has become more popular over the last few decades. It has been recorded that Nkundabatware men travelled to Europe in the late 1800s in search of work, which they could perform at banquets that were attended by high nobility and their partners. In South Africa, Hines were traditionally made by hand from mud, ash and other natural ingredients using either hard or soft rock powder to create the patterns on the shoes. This art form has evolved over the years into a highly refined and modern type of footwear, with most tap dancers now being either professional or semi-professional.