Free Essay Sample on African Dance

Introduction

According to Kuwor, African dance is an all-inclusive art and holistic art that serves as a pivot around which the social life revolves (Kuwor, 2017). Welsh believes that African dance is central to social life in the community. Welsh goes on to state that African dance is indeed a resource through which the society's ethical, historical, and religious beliefs are depicted.

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Welsh through the article stated that the word “African dance” should not exist since it is general considering Africa has many ethnic groups with many different dances such as Zulu, Ewe, Malinke, Chewa, Maasai, Ashanti, Shona and many other dances. On the contrary, Kuwor argues against the fact that African dance is a colossal generalization of African ethnic groups and their specific dances. He believes that in as much as there is American culture, Asian culture, there should be African culture too (Kuwor, 2017). He further argues that the different cultures depicted by other dances at the same time produce commonalities which, as a result, give some sense of belonging to the African continent (Kuwor, 2017). Therefore, Unlike Welsh, Kuwor acknowledges and supports the existence of the word "African dance."

Both Welsh and Kuwor believed that African dance has never been free from colonial and western influence. Due to this, the European colonizers measured and still do African dance through their lens where they used foreign tools to measure African dance which leads to the portrayal of African dances as uncivilized and also gave way for enslavement of Africans (Kuwor, 2017).

Comparison

Traditional dances are dances that inform and portray cultures and historical beliefs through lyrics, movements and patterns and utilization of the concept as well as full-body articulation (Welsh-Asante, 1996). Neotraditional dances are dances which are created and performed in the likeness of traditional dances but do not necessarily replicate the ceremony or ritual of which it is part. , neotraditional dances are mostly described by their functions such as the rite of passage dances, harvest dances, and courting dances, but they barely function in such capacities. Contemporary African dances are essential dances influenced by the current trends and beliefs choreographed by one or more persons through a combination of movement vocabulary from both traditional and neo-traditional African dance (Welsh-Asante, 1996).

It is worth noting that both African, neotraditional and contemporary African dances rely on African cultural memories, traces, histories, and genealogical heritages (Welsh-Asante, 1996). Through observation of the three dances, one can easily trace back the African cultural and religious beliefs.

Mandiani Dance Classification

Mandiant dance should be classified as a contemporary African dance. With its roots from Bamana people in Mali, Guinea Mali and Senegal, the dance came to be one of the most taught dances in the United States (Welsh-Asante, 1996). Further, it incorporates both the features of traditional and neotraditional dances and can be performed in various functions such as weddings and graduations.

Memory is the linking backbone is the connecting fibre between dance, tradition, and history. Welsh noted that memory is part of the process of preserving and documenting the multifaceted treasures of African dances or music that hold or constitute of African history and traditions (Welsh-Asante, 1996). Therefore, the traditional African dancers rely on their memories to pass the type of dances, history and practice to the next generation. Memory as a link as influenced the African anaesthetics on matters of colonial and pre-colonial histories, the meaning of dances, time and occasions during which they were performed.

The use of the entire body in African dance is the unifying factor of dance, tradition, and history, through memory. Head as a body part is essential in the dance since it offers direction for dancers in relationship with musicians and other dancers. The pelvic area is part of the human body which is mostly used in African dances to appreciate procreation and define the essence of what encompasses a human being (Welsh-Asante, 1996).

Elements

Four elements guide the spiritual wholeness in the African dances. The aspect of "carry” occurs when the dance rhythms take the body on a journey and later take it back to its original state. At the same time, through "transference" the participants' exchange of energy and dynamics is enhanced (Welsh-Asante, 1996). “Transformation” element changes and charges the sate of the dancer’s body where it is no longer in the same state as it was before joining the ceremony or ritual while “transcendence” is when the dancer’s or participant’s body is wholly immersed into the dance under the control of energy and spirit until the dance comes to an end (Welsh-Asante, 1996).

Babatunde Olatunji from Nigeria is one of the culture bearers of African dance which first came to the United States as a scholarship student in the Morehouse College. He contributed mainly to the African dance when he formed Olatunji drums of passion and made the classic recording of "drums of passion." He inserted African bass and pushed for social justice by use of African drumming for peace (Welsh-Asante, 1996).

The Dinizulu’s dancers, drummers and singers also contributed to the African dance and culture. They formed the school of dance in the United States since the year 1948 (Welsh-Asante, 1996). This school of African dance has since served as a center for information on Akan religion and culture in the US.

Conclusion

Conclusively, in the second half of the course, memory, "trace, "contemporary African dance, spirit and identity will interrelate. It will show memory as part of the "trace" process of the contemporary African dance. Further, the identity of participants is realized through the spirit and therefore, the link between the two will be established.

References

Kuwor, S. K. (2017). Understanding African Dance in Context: Perspectives from Ghana. Africology. Vol10.No 4. https://jpanafrican.org/docs/vol10no4/10.4-6-Kuwor.pdf

Welsh-Asante, K. (Ed.). (, 1996). African dance: An artistic, historical, and philosophical inquiry. Africa World Press.