Abstract: Nigerian choreographers have not been able to establish a unanimous Nigerian contemporary dance convention (like traditional dance) since its inception in the 1950s. While Hebert Ogunde and his contemporaries from the 1950s relied on the folk era syndrome to structure their dances, the Usman Abubakar and contemporaries from the 1990s to the present are relying on complex concepts and the application of the computer and mix media technologies. Kariamu Welsh’s ‘Umfundalai’ and Rudolf Laban’s ‘choreology’ are adopted as theoretical frameworks. The paper evaluates the contribution of Afrika Kreative Dance Company under the control of Usman Abubakar in the forging of the structure of Nigerian Contemporary Dance. Two major dance pieces by the Afrika Kreative Dance Company, Oju and Night were investigated as videotexts in addition to the peripheral treatment of a few other dances by the same Company. Results shows that the structure of Afrika Kreative Dance Company, in spite of being heavily influenced by indigenous philosophical Nigerian themes and dance idioms is characterised by specialised movements that are methodical and leisurely. The structure of the Nigerian Contemporary Dance is therefore dependent on free personal dance creations, but strictly guided by Nigerian or indigenous philosophical themes and dance idioms.
Keywords: Contemporary, Folk, Mix-media, Idioms, Choreology.
Title: The Role of Afrika Kreative Dance Company in the Structuring of Nigerian Contemporary Dance
Author: Rudolph Kansese
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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