African Dance Institute

Extract

‘African Dance as Human Behaviour’, an intensive lecture–film-performance institute initiated and directed by Associate Professor Judith Lynne Hanna at the Lincoln Center Campus of Fordham University, was the first programme of its kind devoted to African dance. The 24 participants, who met each weekday evening during this fortnight, received up to four college credits for their work. Among them were six college teachers and nine graduate students – mainly from the New York area, but some from as far afield as California and Louisiana – two school teachers, and four professional dancers–teachers. The disciplines represented were anthropology, dance, education, folklore, humanities, literature, physical education, social studies, sociology, and theatre arts. Motivations varied: some participants were adding a new dimension to their scholarly work, some were artists seeking to draw inspiration from African dance as an aesthetic form, and others were delving into an aspect of their own cultural heritage.