Window installation that was site specific at the Mink Building on Amsterdam Avenue in West Harlem for Armory Week.

1. Gumboot Juba
Window Installation
Artist Dianne Smith
Presented by West Harlem Art Fund

2. https://westharlem.art
Sponsored by: Presented by: West Harlem Art Fund
http://www.armoryartsweek.com/home/public-events/
Dianne Smith
2011
Gumboot Juba
Mixed Media Installation
Juba, Pattin' Juba or Guiba is the name of the dance (of West African influence) the slaves did on the
Southern Plantations, in the Caribbean and Dutch Guiana. The slave owners for various reasons, such
as the fear of secret messages being sent did not want the enslaved using drums, lifting their feet, etc.
Like the South African miners they came up with a rhythmic way to communicate using the hand
slapping and movement of the body. The sounds and movements replace the drums. The most famous
dancer of the time was a free man of color named Master Juba (William Henry Lane). He and Juba has
been credited with introducing T
ap Dance to American culture. In contemporary culture these kinds of
movements can be seen in stepping done by African American and now Latino Greek organizations.
This installation is a homage to Juba, T
ap, Gumboot, and African American Fraternity Stepping. The
installation is further contextualized with references to African American History.