Activity+1.5+Music,+Instruments+and+Movement+in+Rituals,+Ceremonies+and+Celebrations

Music, Instruments and Movement in Rituals, Ceremonies and Celebrations ** Introduction: ** Drum circles have a long, rich history within many of our world’s cultures. Arthur Hull (1998) uses the term “//rhythmaculture//” to describe cultures that have integrated “ritual, dance, song, and music into almost every aspect of its existence” (p.17). In such cultures drumming, singing, and dancing accompanied all aspects of life – births, deaths, weddings, rites of passage, spiritual celebrations, hunting, planting and harvesting. In other words, music, dance and song were ways to celebrate community, and all members took part. The rhythms, songs and movements used in these celebrations imitated the sounds and motions of the earth, as well as the humans’ acts of survival. //Rhythmacultures// are found in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and Aboriginal peoples.
 * Activity 1.5:
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 * Discussion Questions
 * What celebrations or ceremonies they have attended or observed (graduation, Olympic opening ceremonies, July 1stcelebration)?
 * What kinds of things they expect to see at these ceremonies?
 * What do you remember about the video clip of Les Ballets Africains?

media type="youtube" key="XOiXj4K7LDo&hl=en&fs=1" height="411" width="505"   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> //<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; display: block">Watch the "Traditional West African Courting Dance" // <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> **Discussion Questions:** <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">1. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> What story is being told by the movement of the male and female dancers? <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> 2. What unique characteristics of the dance movements do you observe? <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> media type="youtube" key="Q6azvxvbMTE&hl=en&fs=1" height="435" width="534" <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">// Watch "West African Djembe Drum and Dance Bamako Mali" // <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">

<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif">Discussion Questions: <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">1. What might the motions of the dancers represent? media type="youtube" key="8DON6ZDCBNE&hl=en&fs=1" height="434" width="534" <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> Watch West African Village Dance performed by <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">“// Baga women and the matimbo drum // ” from - Boke, Guinea.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif">**Responding & Reflecting:** <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">In small groups use a Venn diagram to //compare and contrast// the African experience of celebrations to ceremonies that have been experienced by the students. Share insights and observations with the class. Record all your observations on a class diagram. Post it on the class website.. <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">