The Role of the Djembefola in Indigenous Dance Education: Decolonial Revelations in Guinea, West Africa

doi:10.1080/15290824.2021.1949015

Paper

The Role of the Djembefola in Indigenous Dance Education: Decolonial Revelations in Guinea, West Africa

Published Sep 22, 2021 · Ojeya Cruz Banks

Journal of Dance Education

Q1 SJR score

1

Citations

0

Influential Citations

Full text

Semantic Scholar

Abstract

ABSTRACT Memoirs of studying with acclaimed dancer-choreographer Moustapha Bangoura in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa, illuminate the significant, yet unspoken role played by the djembefola (lead drummer) in teaching and learning dance. This portrait provides autobiographical and ethnographic insights, gained through attending Le Bagatae Dance and Drum, an international dance school in Conakry, Guinea, founded by Bangoura in 1993. Drawing on a two-decade long mentorship with Bangoura, this study provides dance educators with insights into how a dancer’s musicality is cultivated through the help of the djembefola. How this perspective is related to a decolonial dance pedagogical agenda is also articulated. The study describes the dance pedagogy I experienced as a collaborative process between Bangoura and musicians. The findings reveal that the drummers contribute content and pedagogical knowledge essential for dance learning.

Study Snapshot

Key takeawayThe djembefola plays a significant role in teaching and learning dance in Guinea, West Africa, contributing content and pedagogical knowledge essential for dance learning.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

Consensus is limited without an account. Create an account or sign in to get more searches and use the Study Snapshot.

Create an account

Paper

The Role of the Djembefola in Indigenous Dance Education: Decolonial Revelations in Guinea, West Africa

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

References

Stories of West African and House Dance Pedagogies: 4E Cognition Meet Rhythmic Virtuosity

Rhythmic virtuosity in West African and House dance pedagogies is achieved through intersubjective communal creativity, revealing how a dancer's thinking is situated, extended, and galvanized by music.

Fare Ra Lankhi

The fare ra lankhi (dance circle) in West Africa fosters acoustic literacy, music interaction, and movement invention, providing valuable insights for dance educators.

Laying New Ground

This paper highlights the need to disrupt Whiteness in dance education by implementing strategies and structures that promote equity and inclusivity in both P-12 and higher education settings.

Meter and Musicality in Tap Class

Restructuring Tap I classes to focus on multiple meters, adding a drumming unit, and encouraging student choreography can improve students' understanding of musicality and challenge preconceived ideas about tap dance.

Dancing the Pluriverse: Indigenous Performance as Ontological Praxis

Indigenous dance is an ontological praxis that challenges the delusional universality undergirding imperialism, genocide, and ecocide by addressing ontological distinctions and hierarchies.

Citations

Decolonizing Assessment in Dance Education: Ubuntu as an Evaluative Framework in Indigenous African Dance Education Practices

Ubuntu philosophy in assessment and feedback systems in African dance education supports individual growth and community connections, promoting knowledge production and holistic education.