There’s a reason why traditional African dances have stood the test of time – largely participatory, they are powerful ways to teach moral and social values, celebrate important events and major life milestones, perform oral history and other recitations and spiritual experiences. Yet traditional African dances do much more than that: they move us beyond the tangible to the intangible; as such they are a means of expression when words are absent. For example, we can dance to express our emotions, such as the ineffable joy we experience when a child is born, or when we invite a loved one to share life’s journey with us and they accept.
Traditional African dances embody cultural values, too. And the movements in each dance together tell a story expressed in such a way that it can be passed down the generations. To ensure the integrity of a culture as expressed through dance, there’s often a designated person who designs the moves and teaches them to those in the culture so that cultural traditions and values can be accurately passed down to future generations.
There is a uniqueness to African dances that’s often missed. Here’s what I mean.
Many African dances are involve segregated body movements that are difficult for an outsider to interpret intellectually because, generally, dance is associated with steps and movements that correspond to the speed and beat of a piece of music and move the body in a cadenced way. These are “polyrhythm and polycentric movements” as explained by Emily Willette in The Africanist Aesthetic in American Dance Forms:
“Polyrhythm and polycentrism are also central to African dance. Polyrhythm is the layering of different rhythms over one another and polycentrism is the idea that movement can initiate from any part of the body. These two qualities play together because different parts of the body dance to different instruments that are playing at different rhythms. Farris Thompson describes learning polyrhythm and polycentrism, ‘my hands and my feet were to keep time with the gongs, my hips with the first drum, my back and shoulders with the second.’ All the elements of the music are displayed clearly in the body and nothing is left out. This method of dancing is another way of incorporating and valuing the entire body and bringing together the music and dancing.”
But here’s the best part.
These traditional African dances are such fun! Have a browse at these ones and let us know what you think in the comments.
Eskista dance, Ethiopia
This complex traditional African dance is considered one of the most technical dance forms in Ethiopia. It involves rolling the shoulder blades, bouncing the shoulder and contracting the chest.
Kumpo dance, Senegal
The Kumpo, the Samay, and the Niasse are three traditional figures in the mythology of the Diola people of Casamance, Senegal
Several times a year a cultural festival is held, for which the Samay invites the people of the village to participate. In this video on the Africa Travel Centre YouTube channel, you’ll see the Kumpo dressed covered entirely with palm fronds and wearing a stick on the head. Just before this very energetic dance, a coloured flag is attached to the stick. The irrepressible Kumpo dances for hours in this costume and, as he does so, speaks a mysterious language and communicates through an interpreter with the spectators.
Zaouli dance, Ivory Coast
Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people of central Ivory Coast. The Zaouli mask, used in the dance, was created in the 1950s, reportedly inspired by a girl named “Djela Lou Zaouli”. However, each mask may have its own symbolic history.
Zaouli dancers perform in every Guro village during funerals and celebrations. These dancers are believed to increase productivity and unite the Guro community, and by extension the whole country.
Tuareg dancing, Libya
Each October, the Ghadames Cultural Festival is held in northwestern Libya where you can admire a spectacular dancing display by the Tuareg. The three-day festival celebrates the date harvest, and comes complete with plenty of date-based delicacies.
Atilogwu Dance, Nigeria
This ‘Acrobatic Dance’ of Eastern Nigeria involves all manner of leaps, jumps and fancy footwork.
Adamu, East Africa
This is a Maasai jumping dance that is traditionally performed during the warriors’ coming of age ceremony. A circle is created by the warriors, and one or two of them will enter the centre to start jumping. Members of the group will raise the pitch of their voices to correspond with the height of the jump.
What do you think about these impressive dances?
