Characteristics of African Derived Dance

Characteristics of African Derived Dance and European Dance

The document provides here “Characteristics of American and European “indicates that both Africans and Europeans valued dance. However, there were differences between Africans and Europeans dance. This document will analyze a characteristic of an African and European dance.

One characteristic of an African derived dance is to have “Something in Hand” as states by the document. It also states that African ritual dance makes use of special objects, including masks, costumes, staffs, whisks, pieces of cloth and other items.

The YouTube video on the “Dogon Mask Dance” illustrates one of the characteristic of the African derived dance which is “Something in Hand.” The Dogon mask dance is a ritual dance. We see in the video that the mask has a straight line. This website: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0529_030529_dogon_2.html” states that the mask serves to connect the worlds of the sun and Earth through the conduit of the dancer and his body; Like all Dogon masks, the sirige belongs to the afterworld, the realm of where life and death meet.

Research shows that The Dogons perform with their dancing masks and other objects like costumes, staffs, whisks, pieces of cloth to honor the passing of a respected elder. This dance ceremony will often last for three days and it involves dozens of dancers representing figures from the animal world, male and female powers, and the afterworld.

The document “Characteristics of American and European “also provides the characteristic of European dance. It States that European court dance at the time of the founding of the north American colonies was almost entirely secular and was often practiced in the context of indoor ballrooms.

One of the characteristic of European Dance is “Couple Dance.” As states in the document “Characteristics of American and European,” Couple Dance has appeared during the seventeenth and eighteenth century. During...