Zaouli is an astonishingly difficult traditional dance in which the dancer doesn't repeat steps, and the drums follow the dancer. Notice that the dancer's top half is static, while his bottom half is moving furiously, creating the effect of floating in the air. The Côte d’Ivoire tradition is not as old as you might think, having been codified in the 1950s. The dance incorporates older traditions into one performance.
Zaouli dancers are men, but wear a mask of a beautiful woman. Seven types of masks are used, each representing a different legend. Zaouli was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. (via Twisted Sifter)
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Zaouli Dancers
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
As many times as I've seen videos of this dance I still can't believe it's possible for a human to do that, especially when the do it while balancing on one foot. If it's drugs, I'll have what he's having.
Post a Comment