by Akramah

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

African Dance is as broad and varied as there are ethnic groups on the continent. The nature of dance in a particular region is dependent on numerous factors. African choreographers of old were inspired by natural phenomena within their region, the movements of the animals they hunted, the space within which the dances could be performed, the context of the dances and the section of the population for whom the dance is created.

Dances performed by people from coastal regions of Africa tend to be acrobatic, involving a lot of somersaults and rolls. This is due to the fearlessness of performing such movements on the sandy shores. An example of such a dance is the 'kpanlogo' dance of the Ga people of Ghana in West Africa. Some of the coastal dances also have intricate body movements that imitate the sea's waves. An example of this may be found in most of the dances performed by the Ewe people of Ghana, Togo and Benin.

The forest regions of Africa, which provide abundant trees with limited open spaces usually produce dances that keep hands close to the body. There are intricate twists and turns with excellent mastery of isolation of body parts. The 'adowa' dance of the Akan people of Ghana is a case in point.

People close to the Sahel region have an abundance of space so they tend to perform dances with a lot of agile leaps and wild swinging of arms and legs. Examples may be found in dances like 'sosoni', 'sabah' and 'wale'. These are all dances within the Senegambia, Guinea and Mali.

Although the nature of the dance is often also influenced by the context within which it is performed, this rule may be limited to what are generally known as ceremonial dances. Recreational dances may be performed at funerals, christenings, weddings or any gathering. They generally do not conform to this rule.

Another factor that influences the nature of an African dance is the persona of the performer. Among the Akans of Ghana, the 'fontomfrom', performed by the royals of that ethnic group, has esoteric symbolic gestures that serve as a means of communication. The dancer's knowledge of tradition is evident in the communication between him and the master drummer. The relationship between the performer and the chief may also be communicated through movement.

Additionally, dances performed by teenagers are usually more agile and energetic than those performed by older people, which are graceful and slower.

The rhythm of African life itself has shaped the motivation of the people to move. The variety in movement patterns and dance forms are inspired more by the desire to relate the story of life simply as it is observed than by the desire to differ. At the end of it all, if your dance is beautiful you will not dance alone; no matter where you come from.

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