Specific notable African dances, divided by region, include:
Eastern Africa jumping dance •
Adumu: a
Maasai jumping dance performed during the warriors'
coming of age ceremony. A circle is formed by the warriors, and one or two at a time will enter the center to begin jumping. Members of the group may raise the pitch of their voices based on the height of the jump.
Southern Africa •
Indlamu: a stamping line dance performed by young men which comes from the
Nguni people of Southern Africa, with numerous variations depending on the tribe. •
Jerusarema: a dance of Zimbabwean origin, characterized by quick, powerful movements and lunges performed from a crouched position. • Mohobelo: the "striding dance" of the
Sotho of Southern Africa also features leaping, kicking, sliding, and sinuous movements close to the ground. •
Mokhibo: the "shoulder dance" is also predominantly seen in the southern part of Africa, specifically in
Lesotho. It is done by women. The dance comprises artistic and rhythmic movements of shoulders. •
Muchongoyo: a Zimbabwean dance performed by men, with participation from women in the form of singing and playing of instruments as well as dancing along on the sidelines. The women sometimes form a line and dance around the men. The Muchongoyo is a spiritual dance performed to celebrate important events and connect participants to the divine. •
Umteyo: a
Xhosa dance performed by young men, in which the whole torso is undulated rapidly. The Xhensa dance is a similar form performed by older men, accompanied by clapping, singing, and roaring. •
Ukusina: a
Zulu women's dance performed in South Africa during
Umemulo, the women's coming of age ceremony.
Western Africa •
Agahu: a circle dance created prior to
World War II by
Egun speakers in
Benin speaking people of Ketonu, possibly as a modification of a dance style called "gome". •
Agbekor: a warrior's dance that originated with the
Fon and
Ewe peoples of West Africa. This dance is performed with horsetails, and the movements mimic battlefield tactics such as stabbing with the end of the horsetail. •
Assiko: a partner dance which originated with the
Bassa people of
Cameroon. •
Kpanlogo: a Ghanaian dance that originated with the
Ga people around the 1960s, Kpanlogo is a free-flowing
highlife dance form performed to conga-like drums. •
Kakilambe: a West African
ritual dance of uncertain geographical origin involving ropes and a central figure in a mask. •
Moribayassa: a solo dance from the
Malinke people of
Guinea, performed by a woman to celebrate overcoming significant hardship. The dancer, wearing old clothing, dances around the village while singing, followed by musicians and other women. She concludes by changing into a new outfit and burying her old clothes in a special spot. • Agbadza: original rhythm and dance of west Africa. Benin, Togo and Ghana use this music very well. •
Yankadi: originating with the
Mandinka people of West Africa, this slow group dance is performed by men and women, and is usually followed by the faster Macru dance. •
Gazo: the traditional music of
Togo == Modern dances ==