21/12/2022
African Dance:-
Drums start to beat, and it's time to move your body. But enthusiasm and following the rhythm are not enough. You need to know the steps, wear the right outfit, and be aware of your role in the community. Each element of African dance is full of cultural significance.
African dance refers to a form of performing art found among most cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. Still practiced today, it involves rhythmic body movements combined with music and sometimes theatrical representations. There are as many forms of African dance as there are human groups.
Dance is a fundamental part of the cultural fiber and an important activity that serves several purposes in the community. People dance in festivals, religious ceremonies, marriages, funerals, and almost every social occasion. Dances serve to impart knowledge and traditions.
More than a mere performer, the dancer becomes an active member of the community. Local storytellers, teachers, healers, and ordinary individuals adopt specific roles while dancing.
Some dances help define individual roles within the community. The Maasai Adumu dance in Kenya is part of the coming of age ceremony for men. It involves each young man trying to jump higher than the other. Those who perform the best gain social recognition as warriors and earn priority when choosing their future wives.
The themes of dances can be traditional concerns, like fertility, rain, or good harvests. One example is the Kakilambe fertility dance from West Africa. They can also be inspired by contemporary issues such as racism or political demands. The Gumboot dance of South Africa was developed by miners during Apartheid, when music was not allowed. Instead, the miners used their boots to make rhythmic sounds.
History of African Dance:-
Each dance has its own origin, closely related to the culture and beliefs of the tribe that created it. It's unclear how or when dances first appeared, but they have been part of the African life for centuries.
Dances are passed down to younger generations. The young learn the movements, often dating back to the times of age-old ancestors. Since there's usually no room for improvisation, many dances have remained intact for generations.
African rhythms expanded from Africa to America, mostly through the forced migrations of Africans taken as slaves. The influences are especially strong in the Caribbean and South America. Rhythms like salsa, Afro-Cuban jazz, Brazilian samba, Colombian cumbia, Venezuelan drums, and many others have African roots.
Today, traditional dances are strongly tied to cultural identity and continue to be practiced both for their symbolic meaning and as a way to preserve cultural heritage. Throughout Africa and among African descendant communities in America and Europe, there are many schools that teach the traditional rhythms.
