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The dance: WEST AFRICAN DANCE
Where to see it: Ghana and Senegal
Sexy factor: Like a drum beat pulsing under your skin
The moves: With just a skin drum and a whole lot of soul, the Ewe, Ashanti, Mandinka, and Wolof tribes of West Africa use dance to mark important hallmarks in members' lives, such as reaching woman- and manhood. The atmosphere of whirling bodies and dripping sweat is electric.
The stage: The biennial Kaay Fecc festival in Dakar, Senegal. Pronounced "Kaï Fetch" and meaning "come and dance" in the Senegalese Wolof language, the festival invites companies from throughout Africa. Also, the National Festival of Arts and Culture brings Ghana's ten regions together in the central city of Kumasi. The 2007 event coincides with the country's 50th Anniversary Jubilee. Otherwise, you'll find year-round performances in Ghana's capital of Accra at the Dagara Music and Arts Center.
Do a little dance: It's hard to watch West African dance and not want to get out there. Before you arrive, sign up for one of Kaay Fecc's morning workshops, held at the Douta Seck House of Culture, in Dakar.
Kaay Fecc Festival
Tel: 221 652 87 68
Festival dates: May 31 to June 6, 2007
National Festival of Arts and Culture
Tel: 233 21 661 030
Dagara Music and Arts Center
Tel: 233 24 233 202
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