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 THE MUSIC OF THE DANCE: A STUDY OF MUSIC AND DANCE 

IN AFRICAN CULTURE  

 

Albert Oikelome Ph.D. 

 

Abstract 

he continent of Africa is rich in music and dance. They are both 

enshrined in the cultural milieu of the African people. The 

paper therefore examines the concept of Music and Dance in 

African society, discussing several definitions of dance as postulated 

by scholars in the field. Using the bibliography method of inquisition 

the paper explores the dimensions by which music and dance influence 

specific aspects of the daily lives of the people as the functions of 

the dance is highlighted and discussed. Through an interpretative 

lens, the paper discusses the interrelationship of music and dance, and 

how the thin line of distinction is seen in efforts to explain their 

similarities and differences. Ultimately, the paper provides a 

framework towards a better understanding of music and dance as a 

phenomenon in Africa.  

 

Keywords: Music. Dance. African Culture. Acculturation.  

 

 

Introduction 

A foremost music scholar, Meki Nzewi once described African Music 

as the „Music of the dance‟ (Nzewi, 1968). This is because each musical 

item is a synthesis of many fabrics, one or two of which dictates the 

dance steps and movements. By general definition, dance is a type of 

art that generally involves movement of the body, often rhythmic and 

to music. It is performed in many cultures as a form of emotional 

expression, social interaction, or exercise, in a spiritual or 

performance setting, and is sometimes used to express ideas or tell a 

story . Dance has been described as a   language which communicates 

T 

 Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol. 13 2019 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_form
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_%28physics%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_expression
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_expression
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_interaction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_practice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative


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186 

as a medium to persuade and control, reflecting what is, and 

suggesting what could be (Bakare and Mans, 2003). However, Dagan 

(1997) defined dance as  

„…human behavior composed... of purposeful, intentionally 
rhythmical and culturally patterned sequence of 
nonverbal body movements other than ordinary motor 
activity… the motion having inherent and aesthetic value 
and symbolic potentials‟ (p. 211) 

 

Mackrell (2019) defined dance as the movement of the body in a 

rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given space, for the 

purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply 

taking delight in the movement itself. He stated further that dance is 

a powerful impulse channeled by skillful performers into something 

that becomes intensely expressive and that may delight spectators 

who feel no wish to dance themselves. Fraleigh (1987) described dance 

as a performance art form in which the basic tool is the body and the 

body‟s purposefully selected movement in an intentionally rhythmical 

and culturally pattern with an aesthetic value and symbolic potential. 

Midelfort (2004) sees it as one of the essential forms of human‟s 

expression and communication.  

 

A dance performance may be considered as a dramatic phenomenon 

induced by a psychological state. Unlike music and dance in Europe 

that is mainly engrafted in „arts for art sake‟. A change in perceptual 

alignment is needed to understand the role of creative music in 

African ritual music because the composite hierarchic aesthetic that 

'allows for meaning' in African culture does not recognize the 

principal divisions that underlie western assumptions of 'aesthetic-

integration' and/or perceptual involvement or fulfillment (Braxton, 

2019). African music and dance transcends „music for pleasure‟. Far 

more than entertainment, dance and its music have traditionally 

served a most important purpose in the socializing and educating 

process of African people (Badejo & Banerji, 2002). African dance has 

been described by Badejo & Banerji (2002) as 



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“indigenous dance forms practiced by the peoples of the countries of 

the (sub-Saharan) African continent in social or religious contexts, 

for entertainment or as a choreographed art form (Bakare and Mans, 

2003). It is a vital part of the social, ritual and educational life of the 

people. Through Music and dance, Africans celebrated religious 

festivals and give thanks to the gods for good harvests. One unique 

feature of African dance is the meaning it conveys to the people. 

African dance is cultural behavior, determined by the values, 

attitudes and beliefs of a people (Hannah, 1973). The dances convey 

different meanings following the cultures in which they are practiced. 

Traditional African dance delivers far more than meets the casual on 

looker‟s eyes. It represents the actual fundamentals and belief 

systems that the specific African culture stands for. This article 

therefore takes look at the cultural and sociological dimensions of 

African dance.  

 

Historicity of African Dance 

On the historicity of African music and dance, Nketia (196-?) is of 

the view that our data on the history of African music must not only 

be drawn from its structural analysis but also from studies of 

interaction between music and other aspects of culture. Documentary 

sources of African music are unfortunately not always reliable where 

statements about purely musical consideration are concerned. 

However, they do give a fair indication of the social context of the 

music. It is however still imperative we make use of oral evidence 

when it is available. This is because in some societies; there are oral 

traditions that associate individuals with particular dances, musical 

types or one feature of a musical style (Nzewi, 1968). 

 

The historicity of African music cannot be fully grasped with western 

form of notation. There are also insinuations that it lacks the kind of 

historical documents as we see in the western world (Bukofzer, 1956). 

Hence we have been made to swallow the bitter pills of past 

documentation of early explorers and missionaries. While some gave a 

far unbiased account of what they witnessed about our music, other 



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brought the music to disrepute with their biased comments. This, 

Robert Farris Thompson (1979) tried to capture in his historical 

analysis of African music and dance. He undertook a historical journey 

by giving a lucid account of African music from the middle ages. He 

cited the accounts of historians and explorers whose primary concern 

was a documentation of the on the spot accounts of the area. His line 

of argument was that even though written description of music and 

dancing was very scanty in the middle ages, the accounts of the people 

that witnessed and documented what they saw back then would give us 

an understanding of the way African music was being portrayed. While 

we may agree with him on some conclusions arrived at, we cannot but 

question some generalization of the forms and practice of African 

music and dance in some isolated areas.  

 

The contact with Arab scholars and Islam created a useful account of 

Africa and sporadic reference was made by geographers and traders 

9(Farmer, 1939). The writing of an Arab explorer by name Ibn Batuta 

threw more light on this. (Thompson, 1979) In his words, Ibn Batuta 

observed musicians in the court of the Sultan of Mali. From the 

account given by the Arab explorer, it is believed that there was 

creative arrangement in the blending of the music and arms display in 

the King‟s courts. He saw the rulers in majestic walk as punctuated 

with full strops. Suffice to say that the style of elegant walking when 

the King is in procession is a phenomenon related to the kings in 

Africa. This description can be likened to the procession of the emir 

of Northern Nigeria when he is arriving or departing his domain 

(Akpabot, 1986).  

 

In her account on the height of a festival in the Yoruba town by Ede, 

Peggy Harper described the procession of his highness the Timi of 

Ede, as the traditional ruler, going through the town led by the Dudun 

ensemble of drums to perform the “royal step” which portrays his 

authority and dignity in dance and song (Harper, 1997) . La Villault 

gave an account of the voyage of Le Sieur to ketu were he saw the 

king being entertained by a woman in dance (Thompson, 1979). A 



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similar situation existed in the court of Ashanti. In his court, special 

music was played at various times of the day in the court of the king. 

Many arrays of musical instruments, orchestra, musical types and 

minstrels were found in the king‟s palace (Nketia, 1959). In the royal 

palace of the Oba of Benin, the Benin dignitaries performed the Izua-

Sakpa, a dance to honour their ruler-particularly at the Igwe and 

Uhieroha festivals (Harper, 1997). Within the privacy of the palace, 

the royal wives dance the graceful Ugha dance to the king which 

expressed the dignity of their position. Robert Thompson made an 

account about the king who was a great dancer called Munga of 

Mangbetu. The description of the king‟s boisterousness in dancing and 

gesticulation can be compared to the legendry Sango, the king of Oyo. 

History hard it that he was also a great dancer whose love for Bata 

music is still in vogue till today. As stated earlier, a lot of these 

documentaries were memoirs extracted from the diaries of the 

explorers and traders. These were on the spot accounts of what they 

saw the people do in relation to dance and music. Even though their 

line of assignment was primarily outside the area of music, their 

accounts provided vivid information as to the role of music in several 

functions that they witnessed in the course of their journey and 

inquisition. 

 

Gesticulation and Dramatic Expression in African Dance  

All African dances are closely knit to percussive music. A repetitive 

rhythm is initiated by a musical instrument and is then taken up by the 

dancer in a localized part of the body, such as the rhythmic beating of 

the feet or rapid constructions of the hips or shoulders from which 

the movement flows through the dancer‟s body. Dance is always 

expression of emotion which gives a deep sense of pleasure to the 

dancer and the spectators The Africans love to show their response 

to music through verbal or physical behaviour.  The responses elicited 

reveals that the music and the dance serves as a singular degree as 

modes of expression of African feeling or as an accompaniment to 

social or religious activity. (Harper, 1997). In African dance, ‟emotions 

are expressed by gesture and positions while the faces themselves 



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are generally stereotyped‟ (Thompson 1979). Thompson stressed 

further that for the African, the musical experience is by and large 

an emotional one. Sounds, however beautiful, are meaningless if they 

do not offer this experience or contributes to the expressive quality 

of a performance.  

 

Aesthetics of African Dance  

Through a vivid study of African music, Robert Farris Thompson came 

out with some philosophy he used to describe the music and dance of 

African people. He described African music as cool and calm having 

ingredients of beauty, visibility of mind, newness and freshness. 

Furthermore, the quality of visibility talks about the fact that 

African dances do it clearly and openly for all to see. Luminosity is a 

state of brilliance and clarity. This can also be defined along 

smoothness. The philosophy of rebirth and reincarnation gives the 

mystical aspect of dance. Dance for rituals significantly upholds the 

view that a person dies in order to be reborn. This philosophy is 

strongly upheld by African scholars like Wole Soyinka who sees the 

three worlds in man -the world of the living, dead and the unborn. He 

believes the living can go to the other world (the dead vise versa). 

This he referred to as reincarnations. He went to highlight a fourth 

stage which is the world of indeterminable existence. It is regarded 

as the realm of the dancer of tragic actor. The description of early 

writers on the music and dance in African history is revealing. Even 

though not all their descriptions can be well used to represent the 

general practice of music and dance in Africa, it nonetheless gives a 

broader picture of the beauty of African music. This will go a long way 

in correcting the misconceptions some people may have in time past 

about African music. 

 

Basic Components of Dance 

Dance, like any form of art, has basic components. It requires 

knowledge, skills and creativity before it can be performed since it is 

observed and appreciated by people. According to Agu (2003), there 

are five basic components of dance. 



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A cultural context, purpose and meaning of the dance 

This refers to what the dancers do and for what purpose. It also 

defines the context and content of the dance. Is it for entertainment 

or for ritual purposes? Is it meant for all people or are there social 

restrictions meant for the dance? The context of the dance is also 

enshrined in the culture of the society within which the dance 

emanates. The historical backgrounds of the people will go a long way 

in further interpretation and understanding of the dance.  

 

Dancers and their relationship to society 

This is defined by the type of people meant to participate in the 

dance. It is equally dictated by what the dance is meant for. A 

puberty dance can only be enacted by people of their age group. 

  

The dance itself, with its culturally informed movements actions, 

order and sequence of movements 

Dance in the African society is audience participatory. However, there 

are individual dance sequences that can only be enjoyed by the 

audience. The dance itself can be in choreographed movements with 

sequences or can be in „freestyle‟. 

 

Music and musical instruments  

Dance can only function effectively with music and musical 

instruments. Dances are accompanied by songs or musical instruments 

as this further re enforces the movements made by the dancers 

 

Adornments and other material properties 

Dancers are normally adorned with paraphernalia, make-up and the 

appearance of the musicians and dancers.  

 

 

 

 

 



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There several factors that influence the African dance. However, a 

few will be mentioned below: 

 

Dance as a Way of Life  

Dance to the African is a way of life, a true representation of a 

people's existence expressed through rhythm and movement. It is 

deeply imbedded with meanings and symbols that reflect the cultural 

beliefs and their lifestyle. In Africa, dance serves a 

complex diversity of purposes. Each performance usually reflects the 

communal values and social relationships of the people. Unlike all dance 

traditions of the world, the polycentric nature of African dance sets 

it apart from all other dances. In the African cultural paradigm, the 

relationship between rhythm and movement is one that is inseparable; 

one cannot exist without the other. As the dancer is given breathe 

through the drummer‟s rhythm so does the drummer feeds of the 

dancers breathe of expression as movement articulates rhythm; a 

perfect marriage where two become one in a synchronization of 

rhythm and movement that creates dance. Because traditional music is 

directly associated with traditional religious and political systems and 

preserved by culture, it generates social experiences which go deep 

and serves as link which binds each ethnic society; giving each 

individual that sense of belonging (Okafor, 2005). Writing on dance in 

Nigeria, Okafor submits: 

The dance is a ubiquitous medium of communication or 
expression in African cultures. By its nature, a Nigerian 
dance or music engages all the senses in performer and 
spectator/listener alike. It is the patterning of the 
human body in time and space in order to give expression 
to ideas and emotions (p. 34).  

 

Dance is the expression of the beliefs, attitudes, norms and values, of 

a particular culture. It is what is embedded in the culture that can be 

reflected in the dance of a community (Onwuekwe, 2006). Before the 

advent of Christianity, people in the riverine areas appeared to believe 

in the existence of mermaids who were responsible for endowing them 



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with many gifts ranging from children to wealth, power etc. They 

understood the language of rowing the boat or paddling the canoe. All 

these aspects of culture are reflected in the people‟s dance egwu 

amala (canoe dance). From the foregoing, it is clear that dance in 

Africa is used as a functional tool of expression and has and is used 

for a variety of reasons. Dance is used in ritualistic purposes, as a 

secular activity engaged in for recreation or entertainment, embracing 

such factors as physical exercise, performance of skill, aesthetic 

enjoyment, courtship, personal communication and cultural continuity. 

In general dance is used to commemorate important events in African 

life and society and since every second is an important event in the 

life of an African, dance becomes a way of life.  African dances might 

be great to watch and take in at a surface level, however they are not 

just show, and they communicate to on-lookers various stories, 

cultural activities and belief system through body movements, 

symbolic gestures and music. There is virtually a dance for every 

occasion, no matter how little.  

 

Dance as Expression of Social Organization 

Music and dance contribute to the integration of society by 

expressing social organization, validating instruction, perpetuating 

values and promoting group solidarity. The funeral rituals provide the 

medium for people to negotiate their social space. It is through 

funeral ceremonies that chiefs and prominent figures demonstrate 

their social status, men and women establish gendered space in music 

(Woma, 2012). Music and Dance thus become the medium of 

expressing and channeling such sentiments.  Dances teach social 

patterns and values and help people work, mature, praise or criticize 

members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals, 

competing, reciting history, proverbs and poetry; and to encounter 

gods. Dance serves a vital function in human society to achieve social 

cohesion or togetherness, causing them to feel a deep sense of 

communion with each other. As a result, people are liberated from the 

bonds of individuality… societies whose traditional values are still 



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intact tend to value the cohesive or unifying effects of the dance 

(Nicholls, 1984).  

 

Dance for Funeral Rites 

The subject of African ritual music as applied to funeral celebrations 

and ritual burial is a complex subject that is consistent with the 

composite nature of African creativity (Braxton, 2019). Within the 

African circle, funeral ceremonies are lay for the most significant life 

cycle where music dance performances are performed. At the funeral 

rituals for instance, music and dance performs various roles and 

functions. The performance is the appropriate way through which 

people honor the transitioning of the dead into the ancestral world. As 

stated by Anita Glaze, “The constant musical vigil at Senufo funeral is 

intended to comfort the grieving relatives, to honor and please the 

dead and above all to communicate and reinforce public discourse” 

(Glaze, 1981). The music connected with funeral is the most profound 

in the African repertoire, when the ancestors mingle with the living in 

the meeting ground, the full force of tradition can be observed 

(Thompson, 1979) Farris Thompson, a famous Historian, gave an 

account by Pieter de Marees on the way and manner the dead was 

being honored in the gold coast. He talked about the West African 

tradition of treating dead men as if he were a sculpture, to be 

imparted rhythm and power one least splendid moment before 

internment (Thompson, 1979:32).  Another description he made was 

that of Binger who witnessed a superb procession for the dead man 

among siene – Re. Rifles are fired to announce the burial. A group of 

women brandish fly whisks and dancer as they sing the virtues of the 

deceased. Strong youths balanced the corpse upon their heads, 

striking one of the supportive poses of West African Art and life. 

 



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Plate 1: Rite of passage song in South Africa . 

Courtesy: The Guardian Newspaper 

 

Dance in Religious Worship and Rituals  

Music and dance are commonly associated with rituals and religious 

worship. This is what Adekanye (2019) calls „summoning and 

possession‟. She observed:  

Summoning and possession are the most common and 
popular forms of African folk dance. Most of the 
indigenous tribes perform this dance for “calling a spirit.” 
These “spirits” are worshiped by many tribes. Some 
tribes also perform this dance type during the time of 
war or a drought in the belief that this will bring them 
good fortune. 

 

It is believed that during the ritual and public worship, both the gods 

and the worshippers participate. Africans believe dance connects 

people to their ancestors and nature. As part of a spiritual ritual, 

dance may be a symbolic form of communication with natural powers, 

or a trance-inducing movement enabling the dancer to communicate 

directly with the spirits. In some masked dances, the dancer assumes 

the temporary identity of a god or a powerful ancestral spirit. In 

many traditional rural societies, group dances mark rites of passage 



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such as coming of age in which young men or women compete against 

each other in dance as part of their initiation into adulthood (Nketia, 

1974). Nketia further described the dance in some communities in 

Yoruba land where Priests and their initiates may be the most brilliant 

dancers within their community. It is not uncommon to find the Sango 

priests of the Oyo Yoruba who express the character of the god of 

thunder in the dramatic Bata rhythms and elegant precision of their 

dance. 

 

Possession in rituals is a common phenomenon, which in many cases 

brought about through the time of music and dance.  A spirit may 

possess an individual and the movement in dance-like form may become 

agitated, erratic, and jerky, sometimes approaching the convulsive. 

Nketia describes six general stages in such rituals: 

1. Preliminary drumming and preparation; entry of priest 
and media. 

2. Opening of the dance-ring by the senior Priest, 
accompanied by attendants. 

3. Vigorous phases of dancing by media, but still calm 
and pleasant. 

4. Evident possession as media get more esthetic; shouts 
and chants from worshippers; impersonation of gods. 

5. Medium‟s possession by the chief god.  Drummers 
redouble efforts. 

6. Worshippers sing loudly and cheers; chant continues 
till possessed; medium enters the ring, dances, then 
withdraws; musicians become silent. 

7. Final return of media dressed in colorful roles amidst 
shouts of Joy (Nketia, 1974). 

 

The total sharing of knowledge is the purpose of this study of rituals 

in music and dance. The integrity of dance in African ritual is 

protected because the society prepares all members of a group to 

serve as arbiters.  Thus, the participation of the entire sundry in the 

ritual setting indicates that the community believes in the total 



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cultural immersion process.  The result is the joyous participation by 

all in the creative, restorative process in African ritual activity. 

 

Dance in Nigerian Festivals 

Festival can be said to be an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a 

local community that centers on some unique aspects of that 

community. According to Adegbite (2010) a festival can also be seen 

as a series of performance involving music, plays, dances, etc., usually 

organized annually or as agreed upon, where people of a particular 

community come together to dine and wine; in order to celebrate and 

share common tradition. Ultimately, it is enshrined in the African 

concept of theatre, in which experiences of the participants could 

also be shared “through acrobatics, puppetry, myths, rituals, legends, 

initiation ceremonies, festive dances and celebration, masquerading, 

circus drama of carnival, ancestral worship, and so on” (Adegbite, 

2009:46). The Africans love to show their response to music through 

verbal or physical behaviour.  A major religious atmosphere for the 

use of dancing in the African setting is in the commemoration of 

festivals. Festival dance is an integral part of religious ceremonies 

which regulates the relationship between the members of the society 

and the supernatural powers which control their lives.  The music and 

dance is performed by priests and priestess and they include leading 

members of the cult (Harper, 1968) Examples of such festivals are 

the Asala festival (Enugu State), the Ameru Yanyan Festival (Ekiti) 

and the Egungun festival. The festivals which has some unique customs 

– social, political, and religious in characteristics connected with it. It 

has a distinct row of parade which is rounded off with a dance.  

Rituals are common features of the festivals. In the course of the 

rituals, music and dance features intermittently with ensemble 

accompaniments. The following is a description of Ameru Yayan 

festival and the dance paraphenelia:  

“Ameru Yayan is brought out as usual in a horizontal 
portion supported on the shoulder of the supporters, 
head first, and propped up in circle previously described.  
The chrome and orchestra dance round it three times 



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before dancing back and forth in the street. The old men 
dances as the orchestra dance  round about the group 
propping up Ameru Yayan ( Enekwe, 1991).  

 

In the final phase of the festival, the town doers meet in the palaces.  

There is afterward a procession to the town hall with singing, 

drumming and dancing all the way. 

 
Plate 2: Carniriv Festival from Calabar Courtesy, Hotel Guide 

 

The Egungun Festival 

The Egungun Masquerades are known as one of the most awe – 

inspiring groups in Yorubaland.  They are a group of traditionalists 

specially trained in their ability to commune with the dead, and 

meditate between the ancestors and the claims of the living (Enekwe, 

1991). During Egungun festivals, the masquerades impersonate the 

spirits of the dead, who are believed to reside in them when the dance 

is on. Examples of such masquerades found in Nigeria include the 

following: 1. Great Epa Masquerades of the Ekiti 

2. Sacred igunnuko Masquerade of the Nupe 

3. Amana Masquerades of the Gwari Abuja 

4. Dodun Wugu Masquerades of Northwestern part. 

5. Agada Masquerades of Egbado-Ketu. 



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Plate 3: Egungun Festival from the South-Western part of Nigeria 

Courtesy: Hotel Guide 

 

Inter-relationship of Music and Dance in Africa.  

There is no denying the fact that Music and dance in Africa   has a lot 

of relationships. They are in fact, inseparable as there can be no 

dancing in the African context without some form of music to 

accompany it. It is connected to Africa‟s rich musical traditions. 

There are many structures shared by both music and dance that 

makes them interrelated: (Theme, phrases, dynamics rhythm, metre, 

form etc.) Dance has been defined as the movement of the body in 

space. Sound of music is what the body language of the dancer 

experiences. There is the general melodic sound with a well-

established rhythmic pattern which all the dancers in a group relate 

to in a general way. The music maker and the dancer need one another; 

one plays and the other dances. This is crucial because a musician 

playing a song that is not danced to is assumed to be playing to 

himself. A dancer on the other hand who dances without any musical 

accompaniment has nothing to show for it. So the musician and the 

dancer complement each other. It is not without reason that the array 

of musical instruments which identify African as one of the most   

musical people in the world is equally matched by a lot of dance 

movements. All African dances are closely knit to percussive 



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instruments; it gives the rhythm. The other side of the coin is that 

dance not accompanied with music is an anomaly.  That is why a dancer 

in Africa who is dancing without music is referred to as a mad man. 

 

Conclusion 

Music and dance, as we have so far treated, is an expression of the 

inner state of the African, which plays a cathartic role at important 

time of his religious life. Dancing as a means of artistic expression in 

the religion circle has helped the African in sustaining their beliefs 

and control of the society. Dance in African ceremonies offer 

occasions, which serve to consolidate the individual as a member of a 

community by identifying his place in the universe in relation to the 

supernatural, the living and the dead. Through the insistent – 

repetition of persuasive and kinetic rhythm, their experience becomes 

rooted in his personality. Music and dance, which in the African 

societies unites body, mind and emotion in expressive action based on 

repetitive rhythm, is essentially a ritualistic activity and an integral 

element of all religious ceremonies. 

 

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