The Symbolism of Ballroom Dancing Refaat Rayhan

In the play "Master Harold... And the Boys," ballroom dancing extends far beyond jazz music, swishing skirts and sashaying couples. It takes on a universality of meaning as a symbol of a "world without collisions," an inherent desire, a dream, an inspiration, which - even if it is not fully understood - must surely be shared by all men. In the historical context of the play, a "world without collisions" implicitly refers to a South Africa without any traces of friction between the different races. It raises questions as to whether or not this is a mere fantasy. Hally's relationship with Sam and Willie reflects humanity's potential to dispel racial boundaries, and this encourages the audience. Simultaneously, however, the play casts a shadow on our hopes as a rift is created between them, and we are left to wonder if it can be healed.

True to this ambiguity, Hally "oscillate[s] between hope and despair for this world." Hally's cause for despair is his unsatisfactory father who is a self-centred, drunken cripple of a man. Although he is not directly present in any scene, his presence permeates through the play in the form of Hally's bitterness and hostility. Hally's...