REPOSITIONING INDIGENOUSDANCES FOR SURVIVAL AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA

Abstract

When change occurs in the society, it reflects in the theatre because both society and theatre share symbiotic relationship wherein the nature of theatre is understood from the nature of society and vice versa. The Nigerian society in pre-colonial times differs from that of the colonial and modern society, which is evident in the nature of theatre within these periods. The changes consequent upon the colonial experience have challenged the appeal of indigenous dancing with several weapons like religion, high technological and performance aesthetic demands, downturn in audience interest, demeaning perception of indigenous dancing, and the incursion of several alien dance forms. The question of survival for Nigerian indigenous dance becomes more emphatic and pungent in the postmodern world where indigenous dancing have been adjudged fetish, archaic, “old skool” and incapable of meeting the aesthetic demands of contemporary audience. This paper investigated the challenges of Nigerian indigenous dances and evolved strategies that are helpful in the survival, reclamation, and repositioning campaign of indigenous Nigerian dances for the contemporary audience and its potentials of contributing economically to the much needed change and diversification agenda in Nigeria. It concluded that rather than try to remain arguably pure and unadulterated with the danger of becoming extinct in a dynamic world, the borrowing, blending and indigenization of existing dance forms irrespective of its origin and the media are needful in exhuming indigenous dances from its perceived archaic, fetish, and mundane enclave to meet the taste of contemporary audience and improve the economy of both the performers and the nation.