In African culture, dancing serves important social functions. There are dances of welcome, love, rites of passage, mourning and hunting – all of which pass down cultural information. Moves can depict everyday activities like eating, washing, or harvesting crops, which can then become choreographed snapshots documenting the way of life at that time. In this way, dance often plays an important role in the conservation of cultural heritage; capturing folkloric, historic and spiritual information in the form of embodiment.
Our drumming workshops do have a dance element, however we can also customise our sessions to be dance-focused. An economic option for schools, our sessions will explore West African dance and will leave participants feeling invigorated and inspired. Whether you were born with rhythm or you have two left feet, our classes are fun, educational and stimulating for participants of all ages, levels and backgrounds – no prior dance experience is necessary! definitely for anyone who is looking for a fun way to keep fit as well as enjoy an invigorating cultural experience! All we need from you is a dance space and a pair of speakers – we’ll organise the rest!
Recommended session length: 30-75 minutes dependent on the age group.
Check out an example of West African dance in the video below: