Christian Conversion and the Challenge of Dance

Florence DiBiase

163-A

I found this article informative on the transition of African culture to America through slavery. It is interesting to explore how dance meant something different for Africans than it did for Americans (with Western-European roots). To the Africans, dance was something sacred, it was more than just a hobby, an activity, or the other secular forms of entertainment that dance was to white Americans.

The Ring Shout is the root of African dance and spirituality. It is within this form of dance that joy, celebration, beauty, pain, and sorrow are all simultaneously expressed. The Ring Shout was sacred to Africans; it meant more to them then the mere physical actions that white slave owners observed. It was interesting to note how slave owners could never comprehend the Ring Shout's purpose. They continued to debate about the crossing of the legs and other aspects of the Ring Shout and African dance. In truth, they never understood it. They took the pelvic motions and actions to be sexually grotesque and dirty, when they really symbolized a sense of spiritual heightening. Their opinions on religion were also very straightforward, unlike those of African culture.

I find that the main message from this article is that White Western- European slave holders were under the impression that "correct" was straightforward with no display of emotion. To them, the movement of one's body was not a form of communication. One communicated solely through the mouth. This is something we have discussed in class, the belief that display of emotion is weakness. I disagree with this statement. To me moving my body is important. Creativity to me has just a high value as academic intelligence and prestige. We were given our bodies and minds to express ourselves beyond words.

It is highly unfortunate that white slave owners of this time could not understand and appreciate the ways of African culture. While I think America today has made strides towards the importance of creativity, I think we still have further to go in appreciating its importance. Dance should be valued alongside the spoken word as it is another way to express ourselves. We should explore the realms of this expression, branching out just as the Ring Shout did into different styles and directions.