Agbekor is an ancient West African war dance. Today, this dramatic series of fast and slow movements is performed at social gatherings. Its steps re-enact ancient tribal battles and more recently have incorporated Western-style military moves learned by African men in European armies during World War II.
What Is Agbekor?
Agbekor is a West African war dance that originated from the Ewe and Foh tribes of Southern Ghana, Benin and Togo. In ancient times, warriors returning to their village after a battle would perform Agbekor. Now the dance is performed at social events such as weddings and funerals. It's a sequence of fast and slow movements that mimic battlefield moves like reconnaissance, hand-to-hand combat and surprise attacks. Dancers hold horsetail switches and swish them dramatically while performing the dance steps. Agbekor is a group dance; dancers stand in columns of three or more.
Agbekor Music
Agbekor music has an important connection with the content of the Agbekor dance. First, the main drummer and the dancers interact very closely. The rhythms played by the master drummer correspond to specific sequences of steps the dancers perform. The master drummer directs the dancers by choosing which rhythms to play. Second, the lyrics of the songs mirror the content of the dance. The songs tell stories of epic battles and brave warriors, ancestral chiefs and migration across lands. The choreography acts out these battles and mimics these cross-country treks.
Steps
Agbekor dance steps involve the upper torso: Dancers arch and round their backs and push out their chests and stomachs in a series of short movements, while their arms thrust outward or scoop downward before pulling in close to their bodies. The steps can be done in unison, or the dancers can fan out and perform different moves as if they're taking on different roles in battle. The style also incorporates rigid military stances and steps that mimic fighting, such as the swinging and jabbing of the horsetail switches as if they're swords. It blends these warlike motions with more traditional African-style moves such as running in place, jumping, spinning and hopping.
The dance steps evolved after World War II, during which the British, German and French armies recruited men from the Ewe tribe. These tribesmen incorporated moves from Western-style military drills into the original Agbekor style.
Tags: Agbekor dance, dance steps, African dance, dancers perform, fast slow