African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African folklore 154
D
DANCE: OVERVIEW WITH A FOCUS
ON NAMIBIA
Dance in Africa is a social activity, something performed in a specific environment and
having purpose and meaning. Both overt and covert meanings and messages are
conveyed and confirmed by means of dance performances. Within the immense diversity
of dancing in Africa, it is important to remember that much of the continent follows
global contemporary dance styles, although some of these are also regional and peculiar
to clubs and night spots of Africa. The dances discussed in this entry will, however, focus
on dance traditions that form part of the African heritage, but are still contemporary in
that they are constantly evolving and adapting to changing circumstances through
performance.
The complexity and ephemeral character of dance demands a holistic approach.
Looking only at the movements, actions, and style of the dance would convey an
impoverished image, as the environment, in combination with the actions and reactions of
dancers as well as onlookers, tells us what is important and gives an inkling why.
In much of Africa there are multiple words for dance, but these often have several
meanings and associations. Typically, there might be one word that denotes a complete
event, including music, texts, meaning, purpose, and the movements. In most of Africa,
the dance is not conceptualized separately from the music. The rhythms of the dance
dictate the musical rhythm, and the social context provides the need and function. Song,
dance, and the playing of musical instruments together form an integrated whole in most
African dances. This connectiveness is strengthened and supported by the accessible
nature of participation for members of the community, except in the case of dances
limited to specific societies or genders. It is common that dances relate to specific events
important to the particular society, including rituals such as celebrations, seasonal events,
rites de passage, and also recreation. For this reason, dance is filled with meaning.
Dances are sometimes the public face of rituals or activities that are otherwise private or
secret, for example, circumcision (mukanda of Mbwela in Angola, onyando of Ovazimba
in Namibia), initiation, healing, or transformation ceremonies.
Dances reflect and respond to societal structures relating to status, gender, age, clan,
and class. Within the dance, individuals negotiate their social place in a bodily statement
of performance quality and by applying the societal rules for the dance. Hence, the order
in which people may perform, and exclusions from the dance are two of the indications of