African Dance Aesthetics in a K–12 Dance Setting: From History to Social Justice

Abstract

This article invites the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetics of African-based dance through the elements of tradition, transformation, and social justice. A discussion of the aesthetics of African dances within Africa and throughout the African diaspora opens the doors to present these dances in a K–12 setting, to explore a concept of beauty that may be different from our own, and to dispel misconceptions that have become tied to African dance and culture.