Theoretical Framework
Scholars seem to agree that the aim of Black performance practice has always been to translate the experience of life and of the spiritual world into “sound.” As Frances Bebey claims, “The objective of African (Black) music is…to translate everyday experiences into living sound…to depict life, nature, or the supernatural” (1975). “Life” among Blacks is thus enhanced and celebrated through various forms of expression in performance, during which participations are always shown outwardly in two behavioral expressions: the “Oral/verbal expressions” and the “kinetic/visual behaviors.” The verbal behaviors, which can be heard, are expressed orally through various forms of sound production, while the physical behaviors, which can be seen, are expressed visually through various forms of ‘bodily gestures.’ Such artistic performance thus becomes, as Royce states, “…a transformation of the mundane, of the ordinary goal-oriented process that characterize our work-day world” (Royce, 2004:1-2). It stands as, to quote Christopher A. Waterman, “a contested field where concepts and values are reproduced and transformed” by performers” (1993:52). It becomes, as J. H. K. Nketia emphasizes, “a technique of spontaneous expression or as an art whose primary aim is to bring into being a coherent body of expressions for performance in particular contexts” (1962: 117). The fundamental questions that arise from these perspectives are: “What is the nature and characteristic features of Black performance?” “What makes Blacks’ performances fundamental elements in their cultural production?” “What is the common stylistic thread that generally unite all Blacks across the global world?”
You should therefore Choose SIX (6) musical types from the twelve musical (dance) types outlined below (TWO from African traditions; TWO from Afro-Caribbean traditions; and TWO from African American traditions). And discuss about these Music-Dance types in the order outlined under each section: First, is the INTRODUCTION; Second, the selected six musical types for the CASE STUDY; and third, the SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.
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AFRICAN
● Afro-Beat – Nigeria
● Highlife – Ghana
● Soukou – Congo
● Mbaqanga South Africa
AFRO-CARIBBEAN
● Rara – Haiti
● Salsa – Cuba
● Soca – Trinidad
● Merengue – Dom Rep.
AFRICAN AMERICAN
● Soul – USA
● Funk – USA
● Rap – USA
● Hip-Hop – USA
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Introduction
● Provide a brief introduction by discussing about (a) the Fundamental Elements in the Cultural production, by looking at (i) the common stylistic thread that generally defines Black performance practices, and (ii) how the genres (you have selected) play a more prominent role in “racial identity formation,” which, to use Waterman statement, “continually invoked as a baseline or core of black experience;” (b) the “Ritual” Aspect of the Performance, by looking at (i) why Black performances are more of “ritual,” as they become the fundamental principle governing the life of the people, and (ii) how dance becomes the most central to the expression of this ritual in performance, thus generating life force in the individuals with the community.
CASE STUDY
▄ Discuss about each of the Six (6) musical types you have selected in the following order:
African Traditions
Africa – 1
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
Africa – 2
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
Afro-Caribbean Traditions
Afro-Caribbean – 3
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
Afro-Caribbean – 4
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
African-American Traditions
African-American – 5
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
African-American – 6
● The name and characteristic features of the music (and dance) ● The Historical and Political environments in which the music emerged; ● The Social and Cultural contexts in which the music developed; ● The kind of styles (both oral and physical) employed in the music-dance performance; ● The musicians’ use of the performance stage as an avenue in defining their cultural identities; ● The Audience’s involvements and participation; ● The general impact or influence of the music-dance performance on the societies/ communities as a whole.
Summary and Conclusion
Briefly summarize all that have been discussed so far, and conclude with your own knowledge and experience in learning (both in class and readings) about how Black performance aesthetics, as expressed in these performances, have continued to exist as ‘African cultural memory,’ thus serving as an avenue, constituting an aspect of ‘social action’ among the communities; how the performances have come to be figured as, to quote Waterman, “…a totem of Negro experience, a metaphor for black resistance;” how the performances have come to support the fundamental ideology of what has come to be known as Black performance aesthetics; and how such creativity has continually shaped Black modern cultural traditions thus leading to cultural self-determination and self-transformation among the societies.
