INDIGENOUS/CULTURAL ELEMENTS IN QUDUS ONIKEKU’S NIGERIAN CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORKS

Abstract

Dance, the movement of the body in time and space, is deployed for entertainment and communication purposes. This study, therefore, examines movement and expression in the dance performances of Qudus Onikeku, with a view to determining the structure, elements and influences. Maxine Sheets-Johnson’s Phenomenology of Dance Qudus Onikeku of Qdance Company, who constantly engages cultural nuances in the creation of his works, was purposively selected. Three dance performances of the contemporary Nigerian choreographer were purposively selected based on the infusion of indigenous idioms in them. Performance analysis was done, with particular emphasis on Qaddish, while also making references to Rainmakers, SpiritChild, all
choreographed by Onikeku. Spirituality, dynamics (force), music, chants, storytelling and audience participation are indigenous nuances that are predominant in the performances. Acrobatic movements echo the Igbo Atilogwu dance. Different spiritual practices are incorporated. There are substantial deployments of Bata dance styles: dynamics, body structure, and brisk movements. The infusion of Omele Bata as the dominant percussion intensifies the ambience of the performance alongside chants and poetic renditions. The music is mainly Nigerian drum compositions with some Western music accompaniments. The dominant dance movements are reminiscent of Tiv’s Swange dance. The performances tell stories in different ways but hinge mainly on dance movements as a means of communication. The study shows that Nigerian contemporary dance performances, targeted at entertaining and communicating, deploy Nigerian cultural nuances fused with Western ideas.