Kehinde Olalusi’s “Counter Mission” and the Controversy between Dance Drama and Dance Theatre
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Date
2017
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Department of Theatre Studies, Methodist University College, Ghana, and Department of the Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Dance drama and dance theatre are two distinct dance vocabulary. These terminologies have terhmoiwneovloegr iesg einn ertahtee dN igmeruncahn
controversies and confusion in the understanding, practice and studying of dance in
Nigeria. Edwards. (1984, p. 10) posits that ''while dance and drama each have their
own identity. they have a very closely related history and at times they overlap inextricably". He concludes that "sometimes the borderline between dancing and
acting is aimost nonexistent". This is probably why the two are often seen as the
same and interchanged or placed side by side with each other.
The Concept of Dance
The misconception is even noticeable among dance practitioners and scholars. While some agree with the dance drama nomenclature others disagree that there is nothing like that and advocate dance theatre in its place. And so the
controversy rages on. Emoruwa's experience at the NAFEST 2013 held at Ilorin,
Kwara State is apposite here. According to him "the competition called for a dance
drama package from the participating State Arts Councils". At the competition,
participants came up with varieties of dances ranging from dance drama to dance
theatre and or total theatre experiences (Emoruwa, 2014, p. 56). Obviously, what
constitute dance drama and dance theatre is not decisively determined. That is
precisely wha t this paper is set to do. The performance of Kehinde Olalusi's
Counter Mission" by the students of the Department of the Performing Arts,
University of llorin, PFA 499: Special Project group 7 for their final year
examination at the University of Ilorin, Performing Arts' Theatre on the 14h of
June, 2016, at 5.00pm is used as a paradigm of a typical dance theatre as distinct
from a dance drama.
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Keywords
Dance drama, Dance Theatre, Counter Mission