Mine Dance Performance

Mine Dance Performance, 1938. Photographic image of one man dancing while the other performers sit behind him clapping. They are all wearing leg and arm bands made of white animal fur. In the background there is a crowd of people watching. Photograph by Constance Stuart Larrabee, 1938.

These images were taken in mining compounds in the Johannesburg area, where African miners, migrant workers recruited from all over southern Africa, lived in segregated quarters. As a form of entertainment, miners performed dances and played music on Sundays. These performances attracted white visitors, who received permission from the white owners of the mines to attend. Constance Stuart captured many of the images in this series during such an event.

There are no prints of this negative in the Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection. EEPA produced an 8x10 study print for reference purposes.