African Dance is a means of communication. Throughout African culture, dancers use movement and rhythm to convey emotions, to work, mature, praise, and critcize in forums such as festivals, funerals, competitions, and religious events.
Traditional African dance is accompanied mainly by vocals, percussion, and feet stamping; while more contemporary African dances involve guitars and horns as well, conferring a more jazzy flavor. It is interesting to note that African dance and music go hand in hand, as African languages have no word to differenciate the two.
It is beat and rhythm that unifies music and dance. True African dance utilizes full body articulation of multiple rhythms. A close observation will reveal that different regions of the body move in time with different rhythms found within the music.
This sensitivity to rhythm and beat is so important in African culture that babies are exposed to it and indoctrinated with it from the cradle!
Bring some rhythm to your life
and join us here at the Malonga Center!
In response to inqueries/complaints about smoking at practice, we have decided that cigarette smoking will not be allowed, but electric cigarette - Smoke without the cigarette is permissible, as it does not pose a health threat to other dancers.