The African Shrine Ballet (Dance Description)
Here is a description of 10 of our Dances. MoMo: Thanksgiven to the gods, It depicts a celebration in a village after a harvesting season. It consists of male and female dancers from asset of two to six pairs.It can be also accompany with our local traditional instruments and Folk Songs. (NOTE) The MoMo ballet is a folkdance of its kind. Jollay: This dance is a choreograph dance steps usually done in Villages through out Sierra Leone by all tribes after a woman gives birth to a Child.This Dance also depicts dance steps from traditional Mask in a secret society which was inherited by Sierra Leonean from Ghanaians far back in the early 19-th century.This Dance can be accompanied with our local traditional instruments; it can be done by male and female dancers. THE MANTUL: This is a dance piece that shows a heritage (The Mantul) that was stolen from a community. The mantul is to be return by all means as it is the heart of the village.Its steps and movements are from different ethnic groups in the West African sub region namely the Mendes, Fullahs, Susu, Madingos etc, etc.It is also accompanied by mix traditional instruments from Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, Ghana, Sierra Leone and more.It can be done by Male and Female dancers. Tomaka: This dance is a choreograph Traditional, Cultural Folk dance steps, depicting the fishing celebration during a very big catch on a stormy weather in a fishing Village.It can be seen as a fishing dance, that can appease the gods of the sea, It can also be dance by male and female dancers. Hunting: This dance is a cheograph dance steps depicting the hunting society dance steps from (Freetown) (capital city) Sierra Leone.Where 90% of its members are the Creoles.This dance can be done during ceremonies such as initation,open day (ogun day) or ceremonies like wedding, funeral etc,etc It can be done for entertainment and by male and female dancers. Bench Dunduba: It is a cheograph dance steps and movements which can be done yearly in a competition like between veteran male and female dancers in most Villages in the Provinces in Sierra Leone.They Dance with Benches; you can see the physic, fitness, accuracy, pattern and style of collective and individual movement between male and female dancers. Maolo: It’s a dance steps that shows love in Africa.This dance can be done during the moon shining to show how lovers show love from various ethnic groups. It can be done by two dancers male and female and accompanied with traditional songs and instruments.VIRGIN SACRIFICE: IT IS A STORY OF AFRICAN SACRED SACRIFICES THAT INVOLVES KILLING A VIRGIN GIRL. A JANGATA (ANARCHY) WAS ABOUT TO BEFALL THE LAND OF MAMAWA AND THE GODS REVEAL TO THE CHIEF PRIEST THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD AVOID THE JANGATA IS TO SACRIFICE A VIRGIN. BATOR: IT IS A DANCE PIECE THAT SHOWS HOW THEFT IS INVESTIGATED IN THE AFRICAN WAY. THE CHIEF WAS STOLEN AND HE SURMONED THE BATOR TO COME AND PERFORM HIS RITES TO EXPOSED THE THIEF.KABAF: THIS IS A FOLK STORY OF FARMING IN AFRICA. IT SHOWS HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY DO AND WHEN IT SHOULD BE DONE AND ALSO SACRIFICES THAT ARE TO BE PERFORMED FOR A BETTER HARVEST. RYTHMS OF AFRICA: IT IS A BLEND OF AFRICAN FOLK RYTHMS, SONGS, AND DANCE OF DIFFERENT KINDS. IT A SPECIAL PERFROMANCE DESIGNED BY THE GROUP AFTER OUR TOUR OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN 1998.
