The Danse Afrikana 2023 has said dance enhances cognitive learning.
The Chief Executive, Danse Afrikana, Mr Aremo Babayemi, in a statement, said this at the sixth edition of the Danse Afrikana 2023.
He explained that Danse Afrikana was a festival initiative of Different Aesthetics Arts and Culture Management, who are the producers of the Macmillan Literary Events, the Macmillan Youth Literary Day, adding that the festival was endorsed and supported by the National Council for Arts and Culture.
“The Festival was established to promote the practice of African Dances with the objectives of exposing children and the youth to our traditional dances, in a manner that will make them proud of their past and prepare them towards a greater and better future; and to provide an opportunity and a platform for the children to participate in an extracurricular activity that can enhance their learning experience and contribute to the process of making them well-rounded adults.”
During the event, students of Bright Achievers’ School, Command Day Secondary School, Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Lagos, and Hope Spring College, Lagos, participated in an energetic dance contest.
A representative of the organising committee, Stella Uwamanua, highlighted the festival’s mission.
She said, “We are bringing young learners together to understand African arts and to be able to differentiate between dancing as an art and dancing merely for leisure.”
Chairperson of the Guild of Theatre Arts Drummers of Nigeria, Lagos State, Seun Awobajo, said the festival was educating and impactful.
He also emphasised the importance of drumming, “drumming is a powerful tool with cultural, spiritual, and therapeutic dimensions.
“Beyond what we know drum to be, it is way deeper. The drum is powerful to the extent that it is a communication tool, a spiritual tool, and good for therapy. Some people get healed through drums. Drumming has proven to be one of the psychological instruments that helps develop a child’s brain.”