music and sound

Abstract

This essay examines the use of music and sound in Yeside Dosunmu's 'Alajota " a dance theatre performance, which took place in 2013 during the PFA 499 specialproject in the Department of the Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Through the participant observation methodology and an analysis of the performance video, coupled with consultations from books and journals, this study identifies and discusses the areas where both have been effectively used or underused. In the course of the study, it was discovered that despite her robust dance performances, the Department of the Performing Arts has no standard sound equipment in its Theatre, mainly depending on laptop technology, which is considered fragile and sometimes unreliable. Similarly, in the department's curriculum, there is only one course on sound, which is not focused on the application of sound toperformances. The paper concludes by emphasizing that a more viable application of sound in dance and theatre productions is essential to the success of dance productions.