Cape Town’s dancing gnome

Posted on 14 October 2010

Papa Smurf, Papa Joe, Papa Jew, or as we at Getaway fondly call him – the dancing gnome, was still bouncing about heartily at Rocking the Daisies on Sunday morning by which time everyone else was deflated by the weekend’s activity. Phillip Hotz is a familiar face on the party scene, who has just celebrated his 70 (somethingth) birthday last week.

Papa was practically raised in Cape Town. He attended school here and recalls always having had a mischievous curiosity that lead him to all sorts of trouble. During the 60s he moved to Asia for a while, then Europe and then found his way to Liverpool, England. He lived there for about 21 years and then returned to the Cape, as travellers often do. Here, he got married and had five children and now has three grandchildren.

From that point, Papa’s restless nature has led him up and down the East Coast several times where he enjoys backpackers, various campsites or the hospitality of the many friends he’s made on his long meandering journey.

Papa Smurf is a jovial, animated character with really light feet. Anyone who knows him will agree. I asked him about his nine to five, to which he simply responded ‘I play the fool’ with a grin so wide it hid his eyes. He, however, proves to be a fascinating subject to photograph and has played a few parts in various AFDA productions. This, according to him, doesn’t pay though – or well, not reliably anyway. So Papa survives by doing odds and ends and on most days he doesn’t know how ends will meet. But he’s comfortable, and happy. He says ‘we must lose everything to gain everything’, and believes firmly that people are so cluttered by excess that they don’t know what really counts anymore.

Hotz maintains a light hearted existence which is exactly what his convoluted path has taught him to appreciate. He loves to play, and rides the nightlife like a wide eyed six year old on a sugar high. An obvious question on everyone’s lips (tips) is: how does this awesome chap keep up with the kids at his age? Papa reveals that ‘You must dance and laugh, but no alcohol. That’s the killer’.

He loves trance parties, but reports that he now prefers the smaller ones. The bigger events are now flooded with all sorts of chemicals and cheap spirits. According to Pops, the healing herb is all you need.

Papa says he can dance to anything and enjoys many clubs around Cape Town. Among them are Assembly, Chevelle, Fiction, Carnival Court, Zula bar and some others along Camps Bay.

Having lived a fairly nomadic existence and having been around for so long, half the city should recognize this bouncing energetic little man. Actor, artist and dancer – Phillip Hotz is a colourful inspiration living the cliché: you are as young as you feel. If he could bottle some zest from his bottomless well of liveliness, he’d undoubtedly make a fortune.

Papa, having shared all this, still enjoys the mist of mystery that hangs around his crazy white haired character and appreciates life so much that he really lives every day. If we weren’t so judgmental, we’d understand our envy. Gnome – mad. Party on Papa Smurf, party on.






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