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An African woman, wearing native garments, performs during a visit from participants in the West Africa Training Cruise 1983.

Members from the Kankouran West African Dance Company performs during a ceremony in the Rose Garden, White House in 2007

The term African dance refers mainly to the dances of subsaharan and West Africa. The music and dances of northern Africa and the Sahara are generally more closely connected to those of the Near East. Also the dances of immigrants of European and Asian descent (e.g. in South Africa) are not covered by this article. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2750x1850, 1819 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Music of Africa Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2750x1850, 1819 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Music of Africa Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... A contemporary dancer rehearsing in a dance studio Dance generally refers to human movement either used as a form of expression or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...

African dance has to be viewed in close connection with African Music. Africa is a large and diverse continent, consisting of dozens of countries, hundreds of languages and thousands of races, tribes and ethnic groups. ...

A central trait of African dance is that it is polycentric. This means that - unlike many other regions of the world - the body is not treated as a "stiff" unit but is segmented into several centers of movement (shoulders, chest, pelvis, arms, legs etc.) that may be moved according to different rhythmical components of the music or even add rhythmical components of their own. This may result in very complex movements "inside" the body, as opposed to the movement through space of the whole body that plays the most important role in many European choreographies.

Africans dance in all sorts of occasions to express their inner feelings, whether of joy or of sorrow. While the dancing is spontaneous and voluntary, the drumbeat provides the rhythm that holds the dancers together.Although the drums in more recent years have become ornaments for decorating the home as well as the popular souvenirs for tourists to Zimbabwe and other African countries, their primary function remains their role in cultural activities and rituals. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Rhythm. ...

In villages throughout the continent, the sound and the rhythm of the drum express the mood of the people. The drum is the sign of life; its beat is the heartbeat of the community. Such is the power of the drum to evoke emotions, to touch the souls of those who hear its rhythms.In an African community, coming together in response to the beating of the drum is an opportunity to give one another a sense of belonging and of solidarity. It is a time to connect with each other, to be part of that collective rhythm of the life in which young and old, rich and poor, men and women are all invited to contribute to the society. ^[1]. Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ...

Cultural functions of African dances

Traditional dances often don't appear in isolation but are parts of broader cultural activities:

There are many forms of African dances, some of which are detailed below:

• Warrior Dances. One example of a warrior dance is Agbekor. Franci Elkins, a world renowned African dancer, has been quoted as saying that this is her favorite dance. Agbekor comes from the Foh and Ewe people. It is an ancient dance once known as Atamga. Agbekor is often performed at cultural events and at funerals. Dance movements mimic battlefield tactics such stabbing with the end of the horsetail. This dance consists of phrases of movements. A phrase consists of a “turn” which occurs in every phrase and then a different ending movement. These phrases are added back to back with slight variations within them, and make up the dance.
• Dances of Love are performed on special accessions, such as weddings and anniversaries.
• Rites of Passage and Coming of Age Dances are performed to mark the coming of age of young men and women. They give confidence to the dancers who have to perform in front of everyone. It is then formally acknowledged they are adults. This builds pride, as well as a stronger sense of community.
• Dances of Welcome are a show of respect and pleasure to visitors, as well as a show of how talented & attractive the host villagers are. Yabara is a West African Dance of Welcome marked by ''The Beaded Net Covered Gourd Rattle'' (sekere-pronounced Shake-er-ay). It is thrown into the air to different heights by the female dancers to mark tempo and rhythm changes. This is an impressive spectacle, as all the dancers will throw & catch them at the same time.
• Dances of Possession and Summoning These are common themes, and very important in many Traditional African Religions. They all share one common link: a call to a Spirit. These spirits can be the spirits of Plants or Forests, Ancestors, or Deities. The Orishas are the Deities found in many forms of African religion, such as Candomble, Santeria, Yoruba mythology, Voodoo, and others. Each orisha has their favourite colours, days, times, foods, drinks, music, and dances. The dances will be used on special occasions to honour the orisha, or to seek help and guidance. The orisha may be angry and need appeasing. Kakilambe is a great spirit of the forest who is summoned using dance. He comes in the form of a giant statue carried from the forest out to the waiting village. There is much dancing and singing. During this time the statue is raised up, growing to a height of around 15". Then the priest communes and asks Kakilambe if they will have good luck over the coming years, and if there are any major events to be aware of, such as drought, war, or other things.

Nuptial is the adjective of wedding. It is used for example in zoology to denote plumage, coloration, behavior, etc related to or occurring in the mating season. ... This article is about a type of spirit. ... Iya Nass - Terreiro da Casa Branca Candombl is an Afro-American religion practised chiefly in Brazil but also in adjacent countries. ... Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, most widely known as Santeria, is a set of related religious systems that fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ... The mythology of the Yorùbá is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the worlds oldest widely practised religions. ... Voodoo (Vodou, Vodoun, Vudu, or Vudun in Benin, Togo, southeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Senegal; also Vodou in Haiti) is a name attributed to a traditionally uten West African spiritual system of faith and ritual practices. ... // Music is an art form consisting of sound and silence expressed through time. ... Kakilambe or Kaki lambe (sometimes misspelt as Kalilambe) is an African dance. ...

Examples of African dances

Concern has been expressed that this article or section is missing information about: Area of origin of the first two dances.
This concern has been noted on the talk page where it may be discussed whether or not to include such information.

• Yankadi and Macru are two common dances. Yankadi is slow and mellow, while Macru has a faster tempo with lots of movement. The men and women who participate in the dance face each other in rows; everyone has a scarf, and the dancers put their scarf on the one whom they wish to dance with.
• Moribayasa is a dance used by women who have bad luck. It is also the name of a particular tree that grows near the village in Guinea where this dance originated. The women prepares by putting on ragged and dirty clothes, then goes with a group of drummers to the tree. The group plays, and she sings and dances all around the village before returning to the tree. There she digs a hole and removes her ragged clothing; she buries these at the foot of the tree with a prayer for help.
• Agbekor comes from the Foh and Ewe people. It is an ancient dance once known as Atamga. Agbekor is often performed at cultural events and at funerals. This dance is performed with horsetails, and according to Grandma, Abgekor is a dance for men, not women. Dance movements mimic battlefield tactics such stabbing with the end of the horsetail. This dance consists of phrases of movements. A phrase consists of a “turn” which occurs in every phrase and then a different ending movement. These phrases are added back to back with slight variations within them.
• Kpanlogo comes from Ghana, more specifically the Ga ethnic group. This dance started in the capital city of Accra, but now it is enjoyed throughout the country. Kpanlogo is known as a highlife dance form performed to conga-like drums. The music of Kpanlogo is especially important. ET Mensah is considered the King of dance band highlife, and played in many bands and locations. Kpanlogo is a fairly recent dance and started around 1940 after World War II, which is when the dance band highlife scene picked up recognition. Odette Blum talks about the movements. There is a free-flowing motion to this dance, with arms swinging around. There is no stillness in this dance, the free flowing motion, of a move either beginning or ending, fills pauses. The torso acts as the stronghold base of this dance since the center of gravity shifts rapidly from one foot to the other.
• Agahu dance was created by the Egun speaking people of Ketonu. Though this dance was believed to be based on the Yoruba dance from Badagry because the Yoruba costume was used, some Yoruba words were used in Agahu songs, and the dance is associated with the Nigerian town Badgry. Agahu is a popular social dance in West Africa. Agahu’s music is also very important to the dance. Dance movements are closely related to the percussive rhythms and songs. The lead drum called an agboba, a large barrel-shaped drum, can distinguish Agahu from other dances. In this dance there are two circles, one with men and the other with women.

Image File history File links Diamond-caution. ... The first two measures of Mozarts Sonata XI, which indicates the tempo as Andante grazioso and a modern editors metronome marking: = 120. “Andante” redirects here. ... A scarf is a piece of fabric worn on or near the head or around the neck for warmth, cleanliness, fashion or for religious reasons. ... Kpanlogo is a recreational dance of Ghana. ...

Sampling list of African dances

(incomplete)

Alur are an ethnic group who live mainly Nebbi district in northwestern Uganda, but also in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of Lake Albert. ... The Iteso or Teso are the second largest ethnic group in Uganda. ... The flag of Buganda Buganda is the kingdom of the 52 clans of the Baganda people, the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. ... Acholiland, Uganda Acholi (also Acoli) are the people of the districts of Gulu, Kitgum Pader (known as Acholiland) in northern Uganda, and Magwe County in southern Sudan. ... Ankole, originally known as Nkore, is one of the four traditional kingdoms of Uganda. ... The Bakiga people are a primary ethnic group. ... Bunyoro flag The current Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara and its districts Bunyoro is a region of Uganda, and from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century one of the most powerful kingdoms of East Africa. ... Lugbara is a Ugandan tribe who speak central Sudanic language. ... BaMasaaba and BaGisu are actually the same people. ... A map of Busoga Kingdom and its districts The Busoga Flag Busoga is the kingdom of the 11 principalities of the Basoga people, one of the largest of the five traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. ...

See also

• Logo Ligi
• Masquerade ceremony

Logo Ligi is an African dance ensemble founded in 1997 by John Jenkins and Lara Maykovich, in Boulder, CO. The group is lead by the Ghanaian born brothers Maputo and Mawuenyega Mensah. ... A masquerade ceremony (or masked rite, festival, procession or dance) is a cultural or religious event involving the wearing of masks. ...

Bibliography

• SEBASTIAN BAKARE, THE DRUMBEAT OF LIFE, WCC Publications, Geneva, Switzerland. 1997.
• Kubik, Gerhard Zum Verstehen afrikanischer Musik, Aufsätze, Reihe: Ethnologie: Forschung und Wissenschaft, Bd. 7, 2., aktualisierte und ergänzte Auflage, 2004, 448 S., ISBN 3-8258-7800-7
• Online Reference on Agbekor and Kpanlogo: http://www.alokli.com/site/dances/dances.html
• Online Reference on Agahu:

http://www.hoasogli.com/african/ewe.htm

External links

• Sohoyini
• Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company
• "BLACK DANCE-USA: A Celebration in Movement"
• Kankouran West African Dance Company
• Danceafreaka
• The Association of Dance of the African Diaspora
• West African Dance with Yousouff Koumbassa
• CK Ladzekpo - African Music and Dance
• The Umfundalai Tradition of African Dance and Philosophy
• Katherine Dunham - She Lives
• Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre
• Kotou Danse West African Dance Company