Though many cultures and countries have national and ceremonial
dances, few of them carry the social and historical significance of
African Dancing. These elaborate dances not only help communities
celebrate their festivals and specials events, they also help them tell
their stories and record their history. Because writing and reading came
late to some parts of Africa, music and dance were used as a form of
unique oral storytelling that was utilized by people from many different
tribes.
These dances were not only celebratory they were also
instructive and were used to teach the younger generation about morals
and values. They were also used to praise and pray to the gods and give
thanks for a bountiful harvest or a successful hunt.
African Dance
was one of the first to rely on music from choruses of trained singers
who used harmony and complicated arrangements to set the pace and rhythm
of the dance. Though the primary instrument for most choruses is the
human voice, the second most popular instrument was and still is the
African drum. There are literally dozens of different drums that are
commonly used in African Dance. The basic bougarabou is one of the most
popular African drums.
The drum is often seen as a sign of
vitality and life and is considered the heartbeat of the tribe or
village. Oftentimes the beating of a single drum will serve the same
purpose as a bugle call in the military - it lets the community know
that it is time to get up and gather together. The drum is also a symbol
of solidarity in African music and Dance and lets people know that they
are all different but connected. They are all cut from the same cloth.
Unlike
many European or Latin dances, traditional African Dance is a
collective experience. There are normally no partners, hand-holding or
passionate embraces. In short, African Dancing is about the entire
community rather than just a single couple. Many times dancers are
actually separated by gender and age to symbolize the different stages
of life.
As we mentioned, the main difference between African
Dancing and other popular forms of dance is that there is no close
couple dancing in traditional African dance. This can be attributed to
fact that many early African cultures believed that men and women should
not dance together because it was immoral. That is the primary reason
why most African dances are gender specific and why men and women rarely
even touch during mixed dances.
The following is a list of some of the most popular traditional African dances:
Warrior
Dance: As you might expect, this dance was performed before the men of
the tribe went off to battle. It is a violent dance that consists of
stabbing motions and other battlefield tactics.
Dance of Love: A
slow dance that is performed to acknowledge and celebrate special
occasions like weddings or anniversaries. It is often danced only by the
women.
Coming of Age Dance: Performed to mark the passing of a young person from childhood into adulthood.
These
are only a few of the dozens of dances that Africans consider
traditional and therefore an important part of their history.
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