Dooplé: The Eternal Law of African Dance

Today traditional African dance is still virtually unknown in the West. Most non- Africans regard it as "a spontaneous expression" which is both mysterious and incomprehensible and whose gestures and movements have no real system. The African dancer must have complete technical mastery and must also respect the precise rules handed down and perpetuated by the society of the 'Masques de Sagesse' (Masks of Wisdom). Every movement has its own meaning. Traditional African dance is an essential part of the African cultural heritage, the living expression and memory of its philosophy and evolution. This book is written by an African who was taught by the 'Masques de Sagesse' and it is the first study to describe the oral teaching of traditional African dance and to explain its movements, codes and meanings. About the author: Alphonse Tiérou comes from the Ouenon people of the Ivory Coast. His grandmother was a potter and his father was a sculptor. His parents belonged [...]to the great families who were the "bearers" of the 'Masques de Sagesse' in West Africa. He is a former student of the National Institute of Arts at Abidjan and he completed his studies into various ethnic groups between 1968 and 1978. For over twenty years he has been a senior dignitary in the Kman of the 'Masques de Sagesse'. In 1979 he founded the 'Bloa Nam' (Movements) dance school in Nimes where he still teaches. It is the only school in the world which carries out research into African dance. In 1986 he organised a remarkable exhibition of African masks in Nimes which was opened by Léopold Sedar-Senghor. In 1988 he was appointed consultant, by UNESCO, for research into dance in Africa. As a specialist in African dance and African masks, Alphonse Tiérou is the author of several books on these subjects and is responsible for the 1992 travelling exhibition on African dance, sponsored by UNESCO.