BATA DANCE
The Bata dance is a prominent traditional dance among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. It is a very entertaining performance done by professionals usually accompanied by music, songs, and chants. The dance is not just related to body movements, it is an expressive dance and rhythm relationship.
In certain accounts, the Bata dance is attributed to Sango, the god of thunder and lightning, an extraordinarily strong, powerful, and athletic deity. Prehistorically, the dance is believed to be a communication channel between Sango and his worshippers. It is therefore not surprising that the dancers try to emulate his character by using their feet, hands, and shoulders to do the dance. The gymnastic energy of the dance; its flashes and dashes complimented by the thundering, rattling, and piercing sounds of Bata drums play tribute to Sango, the flaming god.
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In modern times, the Bata dance is performed primarily to entertain religious and secular ceremonies. The characteristics of the dance include the twisting of the waist, bent knees, flat foot, tilting of trunk, acrobatic steps, and expressive movements.
The most significant aspect of the dance is the drumming accompaniment from the Bata drums. The dance is done in synchronization with beats from the Bata drum, without the drums, the dance will be grossly incomplete. The Bata drums are three drums of different sizes that make up the collective ensemble for the performance. The largest drum, Iyá, is usually played by the master drummer and sets the rhythmic activity for the set of drums. The middle drum, Itótele, converses with iyá while the smallest drum, okónkolo keeps a steady rhythm. The Iyá Ilu depicts the role of a mother which instructs the children.
The drummers and the dancers move in complete harmonization. The harmonization ensures a dancer-drummer relationship through a shared understanding of the drumbeat’s vocabulary and movement symbolism between the drummers and the dancers.
Bata dancing and drumming are a vibrant performance art of the Yoruba people, illustrating dazzling dance and percussion skills. Bata dancers and drummers are a delight to watch and listen to. See below a video.