Theatre Arts
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Item Dance and choreographic design in the body and space: an interdisciplinary exploration(Zendo Academic Publishing, 2025-08) Akapo, S. S.This study examines the rich interdisciplinary interface between dance and design, focusing particularly on the interplay between body, space, and time in choreographic practices. It posits that dance is not merely a performance art but a dynamic system of embodied knowledge and spatial intelligence that intersects with the conceptual and practical frameworks of design. Drawing from both theoretical and practical perspectives, this paper emphasizes how dancers and choreographers use the human body not just as a medium of expression but as a site of emotional, cultural, and spatial negotiation. This paper begins by exploring four core elements common to both disciplines—body, space, time, and —and how they serve as foundations for both dance expression and design formulation. It investigates the body not only as a physical entity but also as a symbolic and narrative agent capable of transmitting emotions, cultural values and social ideologies. Citing influential scholars such as José Gil, Margolis, and Hanna, this study describes how the dancing body forms and reforms space, becoming both the subject and object of aesthetic experience. Spatiality in dance is then examined not only as a background but also as an active participant in meaning-making. From stage layout and scenography to costume design and digital projections, this paper analyzes how space is choreographed and designed to influence movement, evoke emotions, and heighten audience engagement. The performative space, in this context, becomes a canvas for embodied storytelling, where design scaffolds the motion and emotion of dance. Additionally, this study reflects on how costume design contributes to the readability of performance, affecting both audience perception and the dancer’s expression. Costumes are framed not as decorative elements but as integral to the storytelling function of dance, identity communication, cultural context and character differentiation.Item Dance theories and mmonwu performance tradition of the igbo people of nigeria(International Institute of Advance Scholars Development, 2025-04) Akapo, S.S.; Babalola O.S.Dance is a universal phenomenon that is as old as man and his desire to express himself, to communicate his joys and sorrows, to celebrate and to mourn with the most immediate instrument: his body. Nigerian dances like most African dances have been variously subjected to critical evaluation. However, most of the earlier critics have erroneously appreciated these dances from western dance experience and ideals. This has resulted in a problem of unholy generalization in theory and criticism of dance. Using the thematic analysis method, this study interrogates Spenser’s five theories of dance using Mmonwu Tradition of the Igbo. This is in order to enhance and enrich critical understanding and place of dance in African society. The study found that dance plays a major role in the functional, artistic and communal expression of the Mmonwu tradition among the Igbos of Nigeria. It is also recommended that scholars and writers should subject individual performance and tradition to critical analysis based on the nuances and particularities of that performance and tradition in order to avoid unwarranted generalizations in performance/culture appreciation and interpretation.Item Hybridizaton and the theatre practice: an analysis of legends the musical(2025-02) Akapo, S. S.Musical theatre basically refers to a kind of theatre practice which relies heavily arts of the theatre like acting, dance and music. It uses these media as a means to communicate certain messages or aesthetic satisfaction for the audience. This research provides a review of the key elements of musical theatre using John Kenrick's approach as well as the interplay of narrative and music with choreography and staging. The study addresses, through performance analysis of Legends the Musical, how its narrative, technical production and use of stage elements resonate more closely with musical theatre traditions. This research also sheds light on the views which place its classification as a musical (rather than operatic) performance. Additionally, the research highlights that modern theatrical productions draw from global and hybridization to establish a new performance mode by mixing in cultural and artistic style. The relevance of Legends the Musical in the Nigerian context is also considered, as well as how it can help to revitalize Nigeria's theatre practices by bringing in bigger audience base and greater commercial viability. Legends the Musical is both entertaining and culturally significant in the way that the interplay of the traditional African deities across the plot represents the socio political challenges facing the continent. The study recommends, therefore, that musical theatre is a viable, dynamic and hybrid art form that can uniquely appeal to and entertain different audiences along the way to reviving the Nigerian theatre culture.Item Liturgical Dance in Nigeria: Babalola Abiodun and Victory Ashien Works in Focus Samson(Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan. Pp72-81, 2024) Akapo,S.S; Adetula, P.Liturgical dance has its roots in early Christian worship practices. It reached a high point in the medieval church, when a number of religious orders arose with a specific emphasis on prayer and meditation, and it was performed primarily by religious professionals. In many churches and in many liturgical dance groups today, the emphasis is on performance in service or in festivals. The performance groups many times feature extensive and complicated choreography that showcases the style of the choreographer and the skills of the dancers. But what is liturgical dance supposed to be? What are the specific nature and forms of liturgical performances in Nigeria? Adopting the Religion Theory of Ninian Smart and Performance Analysis, this research focuses on the process of choreographing/creating liturgical dances, the impact of other elements of performance on liturgical dance creation, spiritual impact on liturgical dance and fully on the performance aspect of liturgical dance. The performance analysis is based on the interviews conducted, and having analysed two liturgical performance videos and conducting interviews on two liturgical choreographers, namely Victory Ashien of Spirit of David, Nigeria and Babalola Abiodun of Praise Dance Academy. Based on the above, this research concludes that liturgical dance in Nigeria is on the rise and there is a significant interest from different groups and churches. Besides, these liturgical dance performances embrace theatrical dance performance elements in communicating and interpreting stories.Item The body as archive and memory: a study of fishermen(The Department of Dramatic Arts Obafemi Awolowo University lie Ife, Nigeria, 2024) Akapo, S.S.This work analyzes one of the important roles of the body which is to conserve or memorialize, to keep practices for future references and use. Using the qualitative research method and participant's observation as tools, this paper explains the importance of dance in human society, that is, the social function of dance as a human activity. Although most people see dance as what everyone can do, dance in the real sense goes beyond bodily movements that human beings engage in every day. This research looks at two selected Nigerian dances: Fishermen and Ikede dances as they embody some specific cultural practices without neglecting the fact that culture is not static. The Ikede dance is a traditional dance of the Ebira people of Kogi State which portrays the art of local weaving. Although it is created and performed within Ebira context, it is a practice that is common to some other people in Nigeria like the Tiv, Egons, and Yorubas etc. These two dances form the basis of analysis in this study. The analysis is based on the performance of these dances by the Kogi State Troupe.Item Inflation, Government spending, ARDL, Economic growth(The Quint, 2024) Atoyebi,O.E; Butler,J.A .; Kalejaiye,O.A; Oseni,I.O; Olayemi,O.T; Amor,Z.B; Akopo,S.S; Ukwen,K.R; Uken,D.R; Asuquo,N.B; Bakare,R.O; Adeola,T.S; Ali,F; Piatkowski,P; Zapkin.P; Sanna.AItem Altered state of consciousness: dance-induced spirit possession and trance(Department of Theatre Arts University of Ibadan, 2020) Akapo, S. S.Spirit possession and trance are very dominant features of Altered State of Consciousness (ASC), especially within religious spheres. However, dance and movement, with the accompaniment of music/sound, create such an enabling environment, for individuals who are so predisposed, to easily and quickly transpose from the normal states of awareness to altered states of mystical interactions. Also critically discussed is the term ASC as both a religious and psychological phenomenon. This paper, therefore, explores ASC within the context of dance, using two different case studies in explaining the intricacies of trance, in particular, and spirit possession.