1. AFRICAN DANCE: AN INTRODUCTION

2. The Continent of Africa
54 countries
Land mass is more than that of the US, China, India, and most of Europe combined
3000 ethnic groups
2000 languages
Incredible cultural diversity
Most national boundaries (nation states) were created by European nations that colonized the continent during a period of Partition
People of different ethnic groups cross national boundaries
The Era of Independence began in 1958

3. WEST AFRICA

4. FUNCTIONS OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN DANCE
Traditional dances serve a function in life;
“Art for Life’s Sake”
No separation between the sacred and secular
Dance is used as prayer, medicine, celebration, communion with ancestors
Dance is an integral and major part of social life

5. AWARENESS AND SPIRITUALITY
In African traditions, natural and cosmic laws are not understood as abstractions
The body is of primary importance; it is the necessary intermediary without which spiritual life would be an abstraction
To dance is to recognize that humans are inseparable form the universe

6. AFRICAN DANCE CHARACTERISTICS

7. ORIENTATION TO THE EARTH
Torso slightly bent forward
Knees bent
Wide, solid stance
Feet flat on the ground
Reflection of many traditional work postures
Honors the earth
Honors the world of the ancestors

8. MOVEMENT VOCABULARY Polycentric: All parts of the body are moving
Angular bending of arms, legs, and torso
Shoulder, torso, and hip movement
Scuffing, stamping, and hopping steps
Asymmetrical use of the body
Fluidity in movement

9. INNOVATION, IMPROVISATION, AND CREATIVITY
Traditional African dances depend upon repetition of basic movements and on improvisation around those movements
Improvisation in this context is not a result of spontaneity; it demonstrates the mastery of a dancer and her/his ability to use one’s imagination without deviating from the original structure of the dance
The new must be born from the old

10. “AESTHETIC OF THE COOL”
"Control, stability, and composure under the African rubric of the cool seem to constitute elements of an all-embracing aesthetic attitude.” Robert Farris Thompson
Virtuosity, strength, and grace are valued yet are performed with a sense of ‘cool’.

11. Many ritual dances include holding something in the hand, masks and costumes, staffs, whisks, pieces of cloth, and other items

12. MASQUERADE DANCES
Masquerade refers to the whole body covering as well as a head covering
It is believed to be a spirit embodying the mask; not a human
Anonymity of the human inside the mask is respected
One is initiated into the tradition

14. MUSIC
In much of Africa, percussion dominates the music. This is often in the form of a drum, but many other percussion instruments exist.
Music is often led by the lead or master drummer with the ensemble musicians playing additional rhythms around that beat.

15. POLYRHYTHM AND POLYCENTRISM
African musical rhythms consist of several rhythms being performed at the same time
Dancers move the hips to one, shoulders to another, and feet to another rhythm at the same time

16. RELATIONSHIP OF MUSIC AND DANCE
The drums engage in dialogue with the dancer.
When the drum speaks, the body must respond and express the intensity of all that life is. The drum ignites the dancer and the dancer puts its’ meaning in motion.
Each rhythm has a corresponding dance.

17. THE DJEMBE, DUN-DUN, SANGBAN, AND KENKENI
By most accounts, djembe and dun-dun traditions come from Mali and Guinea and are of Mande origin (people indigenous to geographical area between Kankan, Guinea and Bamako, Mali)
These instruments create the orchestration form many traditional dances of West Africa

18. NATIONAL BALLETS
During the Era of Independence from colonial powers (beginning in 1958), new nation states struggled to create a national identity
Ministers of Culture travelled throughout the countries to seek talented dance and music specialists. These artists were invited to the capital cities to share with one another to develop a shared repertoire.

19. These Ballets are highly choreographed with many dancers moving in unison. Many rhythms are performed, one after the other, so as not to bore the audience members. Spontaneity is lost, but this is made up by compositional creativity.

20. BALLET AFRICAINS DE GUINEE
Established in 1952 by Fodeba Keita in Paris, France. After independence from France in 1958, the first Guinean president Sekou Toure made it the National Ballet. They continue to tour internationally.