Traditional African Dance

Traditional African dance tells the story of ancient cultures rich in history. From the more primitive tribal routines to modern day ethnic dance styles, Africa has always been a strong contributor to the world of movement, and will continue to do so in the years to come.

Traditional African dance holds a special place in the hearts of entire clans or communities, rather than being developed out of the passion of a single individual or small group, which is often found in more mainstream dance styles such as hip hop and ballet. The choreography of African movement often provides a visual of community life, and for this reason, many dances are divided by sex and social class. Dancers are often categorized by the performers’ ages, status and race.

Almost all dance, or any other creative arts endeavor, is learned from childhood and passed down by older generations. While more developed portions of the continent certainly have formal dance studios, traditional African dance is almost exclusively taught through observation and various tribal events rather than via professional technique training.

Rhythm is extremely important to such cultural dances, and bodies often pulse to the beats of music provided by percussion instruments. Dancers with advanced skills are recognized by their ability to coordinate a few rhythmic movements simultaneously, presenting impressive complexities to an audience or other community members.

Traditional African dance often coincides with local religious beliefs and celebrations. For this reason, oftentimes there is no audience at all. Rather, onlookers are encouraged to take part in the dance as well. The exception to this rule is ritualistic dance, however occasionally even then the divide between performer and spectator is blurred.

Since dance is incorporated into tribal rituals, it is often a defining moment when it comes to gender roles. For example, a rite of passage dance celebrating the transition into adulthood is often performed by a tribe found in Zimbabwe. In this specific series of movements, men and women have very different steps to learn, and the choreography is exact. No variation is allowed unless it has been approved by village elders and other officials. Men often practice quick and sharp movements low to the ground, while women are more upright with hip twisting and flowing execution of dance.

In Zambia, young ladies rehearse in seclusion for many months for their ritualistic dance. When it is at last time for their performance, they exhibit grace and beauty. As a contrast, the young boys of the nation learn energetic moves designed to show off stamina and an impressive amount of physical strength and endurance.

Since traditional African dance has the goal of telling a story, many cultures use simple props to further reiterate a message. In West Africa, men and women sometimes participate in a dance known as the Macru. The choreography involves the dancers facing each other in rows, and each individual has a scarf. They then place the scarf over the one they wish to dance with. In yet another African culture, women dance the Moribayasa, which is a dance designed to rid bad luck from the participant’s life. Women wear ragged, dirty clothing and then dance on through to a prayer for help which includes removing the filthy garments and burying them.

Almost every version of traditional African dance will involve some sort of prop or costumed embellishments to help further emphasize the meaning of that particular style of movement.

While traditional dances continue to be used in tribes and sects all across Africa, parts of the nation are much more progressive in their stylings. South Africa, and other nations with a more metropolitan lifestyle, participate in more modern dance styles such as hip hop and break dancing. Younger generations enjoy ballet classes, contemporary dance study, and many other genres also appreciated here in the west. However, most African children from traditional families will continue to learn the ancient movements and rituals of their people, further breathing life into an already beautiful lineage of dance.

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