Video: History of African Dance

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The history of African dance is rich in tradition and culture. Learn all about it from our African dance expert in this free video clip.

- Learning Turns in African Dance

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Video Transcript

In this clip, we're going to discuss today what African dance means. Africa is a mass continent and there are over two thousand different languages and cultures, including rhythms and dances. Usually, the dances go with the rhythms. Today we're going to be focusing on sub-Saharan West Africa, particularly the country of Guinea. And in this country of Guinea there is a rhythm called doom-doom-ba. These rhythms and dances are a, maybe nine hundred to a thousand years old and it's like a living tradition. Almost like a living, breathing museum that's passed down from generation to generation. Luckily, I have been privileged as a teacher, and someone who's a student, to learn from some master drummers and dancers in regards to this wonderful, beautiful culture of West African dance, and particularly Guinea, and that is the style of dance we're going to do. And the dance we're going to be inspired by today is the rhythm doom-doom-ba. Some of it will have some of my own choreography but it is inspired by traditional dances.

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History of African Dance

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