The Differences Between African and American Dance
Body Movement
- African dance incorporates a wider range of body parts --- not only utilizing the arms and legs, as is the case in more European-influenced American dance styles. This wider range includes the swiveling of the hips, bending of the back and shoulders, and more pronounced use of the torso. Such body movements are often asymmetrical as opposed to the more symmetrically coordinated movements found in European dance traditions.