Kukuwa class at Alvin Ailey in New York
The Soukous dance from the Congo has become an influence on virtually all the dance styles of modern African popular music. It is characterized by complex drum rhythm and guitar melodies. Attitude and personality are also considered a part of this genre of dance.
RELATED: Kpanlogo, the Dance of Enjoyment
Keep Up With Face2Face Africa On Facebook!
In African dance, there are certain common movements that involve components of the body to
Cassandra Nuamah a.k.a. Coach Cass dancesmove at one time. The head almost always moves with the arms, the rib cage and shoulders move differently from the waist, and the buttocks and the legs are doing a totally different movement.
Coordination also plays a great role in African dance, but due to the simple breakdown of the dance movements in my Kukuwa® African Dance Workout Classes, students of all dance levels can achieve these dances.
The best way to learn the common movement of African dance is to start with the legs, then include the ?arms, then the core of the body, and lastly the head when you are comfortable with the ?intensity, speed, energy, and drive.
Traditional African dance almost always requires bare feet, signifying the connection to Mother Earth. Attitude and personality are also considered a major part of this genre of dance. The flavor dose of your personality adds life to the dance.
African dance celebrates all aspects of life, and it’s impossible not to experience pure joy when doing it.
Here are examples of me dancing soukous with my own flavor:
Now you try!
RELATED: Mom, Daughter Introduce Africa to World Through Kukuwa Dance
