Modern dance has a lot coming from traditional folk dances in differing cultures. But one thing about rock n’ roll as well as disco dances are that the African dance influence is unmistakable. There are various African native dances as there are countries and tribes in the continent. But there are traits that thread through most of them. Some distinct traits describe African tribal dance that made their way to modern dance. Here are the most obvious:

Improvisational

Black music that originated in New Orleans brought the age of Jazz into modern music culture. Its main character is improvisation. You create new melodies and rhythms as you play. Same with African dance whose character hinges on improvisation and animalistic expression. It’s wildly expressive, more emotionally compelled than a routinely remembered movement pattern. The movements by the dancer take on personal significance as its improvisational style lends naturally and easily to a personal statement.

Rhythm Flow

African dance is rhythmic and sensuous at the same time. If there’s any one singular trait that gives away African dance is its percussive compulsion. It flows with syncopated drum beats. It’s so much unlike other traditional dances that flow with the melody like the European ballet or the waltz. Needless to say, African dance can’t happen without percussion music, or rhythmic beat to be more precise. Percussion and the African tribal dance are inseparable. And what’s so unique about this rhythm-based dance is that it can have sub-rhythmic movements where the hips can gyrate at a derivative rhythm separate from the arms and legs.

Every body part counts

African dance involves every moveable muscle of the body. Unlike many traditional European dances where only some parts like the legs or arms figure prominently, African tribal dance has a fluidity to involve not only the legs and arms, but the neck, torso, shoulder and hips with often non-symmetrical movements that are just the opposite of the often stiff and measured European and Western traditional dances.

Real life movements

As it uses every body muscle, there is a lot of real life mimicry in the native African dance. Both human and animal behavior gets pantomimed in many of its movements. This is a natural offshoot of the religious and ceremonial compulsion behind the African dance – either as a supplication of favors from their Gods, or a ritualistic exposition related to a feast or major human events like weddings, funerals, or initiations to manhood. The African dancer often gives such mimicked movements a more hyperbolic dimension like leaping, whirling and soaring to emphasize their significance or attain god-like skills that no ordinary human can do. And because it mimics animal behavior in as many aspects as possible, there are also the courting and copulative acts that impart sensuousness to some rhythmic movements. So Michael Jackson grabbing his crotch isn’t really a novelty.

More down to earth

With ballet, you see upright lifted arms and chin with an air of cosmopolitan sophistication. “The longer the neck the better”, and those feet are arched on their toes as if always aiming for flight. In contrast, native African dance posses a more earthly orientation with a more natural instinctive stance to be firmly rooted to the ground. Of course, it does have movements of jumping up or lifting the legs. But that only makes the landing more emphatic. Because it is a pantomime of real life animal movements to begin with, the tendency becomes natural.

Something to hold and wear

There’s usually something in the hands of an African tribal dancer. Especially in ritualistic tribal dances. It could be an implement of religious significance or a weapon of war. Masks and costumes figure quite prominently as well and the dance often is not carried out without them. These masks and implements have their place in ritualistic dances that often assume mundane practical significance as in healing the sick, turning away evil spirits or settling tribal disputes.

Acrobatic

This may seem a contradiction to the more down-to-earthiness of the African dance. But precisely because it’s a pantomime of real-life animal movements, the movements often take on acrobatic agility and prowess. The African tribal dancer can leap to the air and soar when it mimics the lithesome jaguar and other fast moving animals that can move effortlessly lunge through the air and jump over great distances.

The indications are clear that modern dance did take a lot of hints from African tribal dance character. If there was any good that US and European influence from Africa had made, it’s the Western assimilation of their culture in music and the performing arts. Michael Jackson should be thankful of his black ancestry and their influence on his artistry.