Dance theories and mmonwu performance tradition of the igbo people of nigeria

Abstract

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.