Indigenous dance as a medium for participatory learning: a study of ‘a dance into manhood’ as a paradigm

Abstract

In traditional African setting, indigenous dance is an integral part of life. It is linked with the worldview of the society in which it is produced. In its real sense, indigenous dance as an art form transforms images, ideas, thoughts and feelings into movement sequence that are personally and socially significant. The communicative potency of some indigenous dances towards participatory learning aids in achieving balance of knowledge, skills and attitudes among the indigenes. Some of these indigenous dances at this stage become indispensable tools in enthroning community sensitization, education and reformation. This paper, therefore, looks at indigenous dance as a medium for participatory learning using A Dance into Manhood as a paradigm.