Famed troupe leaves its 'Footprint' at the Academy of Music

TO EXPERIENCE "African Footprint" is to take a voyage to South Africa and back - without ever leaving your seat.

Defined by a fantastic combination of sweeping movements and thumping rhythms, the musical's energetic cast of drummers and dancers can turn any performance venue into the villages, plains and cities of South Africa.

Directed by South African performer/producer Richard Loring, "African Footprint" premiered in 1999 and played for more than two years in South Africa, making it the longest-running production in that country's history. After years of hopscotching across Europe, Australia and China, the colorful musical is finally touring the United States. Its Philadelphia engagement at the Academy of Music begins Feb. 29.

"If you are in that auditorium and you feel that you are still in Philadelphia, then we are not depicting the story to you," said Thabo Komape, a dancer with the company since the production's beginning.

Dubbed "the Riverdance of South Africa," the show's elegant combination of African and Euro-inspired music and dance has won rave reviews in its home country and abroad.

Amidst high kicks, frenetic stomping and hectic drumming patterns, dancers deliver traditional African numbers as well as jazz and tap sequences, all while characters grapple with issues ranging from infidelity to imprisonment.

The movements of the lithe dancers coexist with songs reflecting ancient African folklore and contemporary poetry, adding another dimension to the production.

"The lyrics also carry a message on their own," said Komape.

Cast members say the production is deeply inspired by the imprisonment of former South African president Nelson Mandela. In fact, its first performance was staged in the cell where Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years.

"We had three numbers and we went to his cell and he was present there," said dancer Noel Ndinisa, recalling the meeting. "He shook our hands and asked us how are we doing."

Nearly three thousand shows later, the multiracial cast continues crisscrossing the globe. Their lofty goal, said drummer Mandla Hlatshwayo, remains the same: "To tell people how South Africa was, how it is now and perhaps, how it will look in the future." *

Academy of Music, 260 S. Broad St., 8 p.m. Feb. 29, 2 and 8 p.m. March 1, 1 p.m. March 2, $20-$67.50, 215-731-3333.