THE DANCE OF AFRICA: An Introduction

As in Fred and Lee Warren's Music of Africa (1970), the emphasis here is on the integral place of dancing in African life. Ritual and recreational African dances are examined in terms of movement, meaning, tradition, and cultural change, with frequent references to specific dances of the various tribes and regions. A chapter on the masks of African dance includes photographs of impressive examples; the photographs of dancers in action are also interesting, though the posed shots of professional performers are somewhat inconsistent with the author's stress on spontaneity and community participation. The brief text is geared to readers of at least junior high school level, but with its appended, illustrated instructions for four African dances it will be of interest as well to adults working with younger children.