NIGERIAN

THEATRE
JOURNAL

VOLUME 5, NO.1

DECEMBER 1999

CONTENT
Dance in Nigerian Primary School: Approaches and concepts for the Next Millennium.
Felix Akinsipe, Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
38

Dance in Nigerian Primary Schools: Approaches and Concepts for

the Next Millennium
Felix A Akinsipe*
Introduction
Dance can only be seen through the body of the dancer. This simply means that the dancers
body is his most vital instrument for dance. This amount of physical and emotional manipulation
of the dancers body speaks a lot about his dance. The ability to manipulate the body very well,
however, depends largely on how equipped the body is That is,
how it has or has not been trained. It is possible to devise very beautiful and
striking ensemble works with dancers who had virtually no training the trained
body is, however, nearly always more eloquent and permits a much greater
variety of steps, jumps, turns, lift and almost acrobatic feats.1
To be a very successful and great professional dance performing artist then, one must
formally train his body. The capability of the formally trained dancer to switch from one form of
dance to the other is far above that of his untrained counterparts. This is why
Modern-dance Choreographers can compose for ballet-trained
professionals with few limitations, but modern-dancers cannot
slip from one technique to the other, because they lack the
academic classic training.2 (Emphasis mine).
What is actually for flexibility and strength in the body are the muscles, tissues and the
bone-connecting ligaments which are
not flexible, like muscles, but they can be lengthened by special
training at an early age, before they have had time to harden. This
is one reason the professional dancer must start training early.3
(Emphasis mine).
In most Western countries, dance is taught in the primary/ elementary schools because of
the above reason. Most of these dance schools therefore, admit pupils between the age of 7 and
11. The modern dancer, for example, begins training aged eight or nine, which is (also)
mandatory for ballet as for piano or violin virtusi. 4 This is the reason why

Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.

The classical ballet dancer (who must start training from about the
age of 11 to achieve full technical mastery) has a remarkable range
of movement that cannot be a attempted by ordinary mortals.5
Also in the Western World many dance schools are established at elementary,
intermediate and advanced levels to train the would be professional dance performing artist.
In Russia, Valery Panov attended various ballet schools to become the famous ballet dancer he
became. Starting at age of eight at (Vilnius) palace of pioneers, though to the summer classes in
the palace of culture, and a stay at the opera theatre before ending up at Lennigrad Academy for
his junior classes only.6
In London, a school from the beginning supported the Royal Ballet Company. The school
became fully educational in 1947 and by 1951, it has become recognized by the ministry of
education.7 This company operates both junior and upper schools of ballet. So, many
programmes/curricular activities were designed for the training and development of dancers. One
of them, the Annual Royal Ballet Performance is said to be:
vital to the development of dancers who need to get the feel of a
theatre, and they are of enormous interest to the ballet goer, who
can trace the progress of pupils through the years.8
In Nigeria, such schools do not exist. In fact, there are no single dance schools to date.
This is why the primary school became the focus of attention in this paper. As a matter of policy,
the primary education, in Nigeria, is the education given in an institution for children aged
normally 6 to 11+.9
This age bracket become significant, from the above discussion, because it is the right
age to begin to train a future professional dance performing artist as it is done in the other part of
the world. The concern of this paper is therefore, to examine how dance is being treated in the
Nigerian Primary Schools The only avenue, yet available, where the Nigerian child could be
prepared towards becoming great performing dance artist (from the tender age) as applicable in
the other parts of the world. The paper finds out that the national policy on education does not
give adequate recognition to the potentials of dance not to talk of its future in Nigeria. Therefore,
dance is lumped up with four other subjects as one curricular subject curricular Arts and left
like that.
The modules allocate only seven weeks of lecture to dance throughout the primary school
education. Even then, dance does not feature in almost any timetable in the primary schools.
Dance is only treated as an extra-curricular activity. The paper then suggests various approaches
and concepts towards giving dance its rightful place on the school syllabus. Its appearance on the
school timetable and its teaching and evaluation like other curriculum subject to enable it
develop and grow come the next millennium.
Present Policy on Dance in Nigerian Primary
In the Nigerian Primary Schools case (and as for all the educational institutions in the
country), the Federal government is the policy designer of the schools curriculum and these
policies are contained in the National Policy on Education while the Primary School
Curriculum Modules contain the breakdown and teaching guide to all the primary schools in the
country.

To composition and structure of the modules will enable all

teachers to teach the same topics in detail while aiming at
achieving the same objectives and practicing the same learning
activities. This will in effect remove lack of uniform in educational
practices in the different parts of the Federation.10
This paper will now take a look at the Nigerian National Policy on Education and the
Primary School Curriculum Modules with the aid of analyzing how dance is being treated in the
Nigerian Primary Schools. The Nigerian government policy on primary education is contained in
section 3, of the National Policy on Education. According to paragraph 14, the general
objectives of the primary education includes:
(a)

Character and moral training and the development of sound attitude;

(b)

Development in the child the ability to adapt to his changing environment.

(c)

Giving the child opportunities for developing manipulative skills that will enable
him to function effectively in the society within the limits of his capacity. 11

To achieve these, the government therefore prescribe, aesthetic, creative and musical
activities as curricular activities for the primary school12. Consequently the curriculum
conference came up with Cultural and Creative Arts as a curriculum subject for the primary
schools.
Cultural and Creative Arts is defined as a combination or weaving
together of Music, Dance, Drama, Fine Arts against the cultural
background of the child.13
This simply means that Cultural and Creative Arts is a combination of five other subjects.
It is therefore quite obvious that the Federal governments policy is that dance is to be
taught along with four other subjects under the same umbrella. This, in itself, is an unfortunate
situation. However, we shall now examine the Primary School Curriculum Modules to see how it
has allotted space and hour to dance among the cultural and creative arts subjects. This is
because the modules is the guiding book which.
breaks the content of the syllabus down into basics, they defines
the objectives learner-performance terms and reduce both content
and objective to classroom learning experiences for pupils, thus
making the achievement of the objectives of primary education
possible though a series of classroom activities over a given period
of time14.
A careful look at the modules from primaries one to six will show that specific mention
and attention where made to dance under the Cultural Arts on the following occasions:
Primary one; second term-models (9) for two weeks and third term
modules (16) for one week
Primary two; second term-modules (9) for two weeks
Primary three; no specific mention of dance.

Primary four; second term-models (10) for two weeks

Primary five; no specific mention of dance.
Primary six; no specific mention of dance.
One may not need to go to the primary schools to draw conclusions on the above because
the modules are introduced to:
Enable all teachers to teach the same topic in detail while aiming at
achieving the same objective, and practicing the same learning
activities. This will in effect remove lack of uniformity in
educational practices in the different parts of the Federation15.
Therefore, through the modules the same thing is done throughout the Nigerian primary
Schools. However, a visit to some primary schools across the country shows that dance feature at
the end- of session activities tagged entertainment usually organized to send off the final year
pupils.
These dances take different forms form schools to schools as cultural dances or general
dancing and singing. At the primary school level, the dancers are not rained on how to dance.
They merely copy or reproduce what their teacher(s) show them which might not be the teacher
too knows very much but what he has seen somewhere else before.
At the end of the sessions activities, the group that performed is laid off until the end of
another session when a new one (which may include part of the old ones) is formed. Thus dance
is used as an extra-curricular activity and nothing more.
If the teacher of cultural and creative arts in the Nigerian primary schools is in order to
achieve all round development of the Nigerian Child, the approach employed is misdirected.
There is no doubt that the Cultural and Creative Arts is essential in the primary school.
The combination or weaving together of these arts subjects is however a hindrance to any
meaning achievement. The inherent and peculiar advances of each of the art subjects to the child
will no doubt be lost.
Dance alone, if well focused, can be used to realize all the governments objectives of the
primary education. This is because dance is both a physical and emotional activity, it therefore,
influences the character. Plato in his ideal Republic recognized this fact when he says it will
help towards acquiring noble, harmonious and graceful attitude.16
The teaching of dance at the primary school will, for example develop the pupils
endurance, strength, flexibility, agility, balance and moral because of its excellent opportunities
for the rhythmic exercise of the muscles, increased respiration and circulation, development of
organic vigour and numerous other desirable outcome of physical activity17
Also, the national value can be taught to the pupils through the teaching of folk dances of
the people. The child inevitably learns the history and dances of the people of his country, the
differences in the dance steps of the different tribes/groups, and the factors responsible for these
differences. Such a child will, no doubt, have respect for the cultural values of the other society
and develop interest, tolerance interpersonal and human relation towards the people of the other
tribe/groups.
A sound knowledge of dance will also impact in the children a sense if rhythm, order,
beauty and organization that is also necessary to cope with the other subjects, as well as, their
own psyche. Dance will develop, therefore, the needed avenue of productive, expensive, and

innovation creative that are inherent in them will be fully realized. All these will then manifest
from childhood to adulthood.
The Nigerian child misses all the above advantages. By the time many people discover
and develop interest in the potentials of dance their bodies and bones are, most time already stiff
and hardened. Therefore, we cannot continue treat dance with levity in Nigeria if we want the
dance art to grow in the next millennium. The future dance artist has to be adequately trained
from the young age and continuously thenceforth. This is the special demand and requirement of
the dance art. We shall therefore proceed to suggest approaches and concept that can be adopted
for teaching dance effectively in the Nigerian primary schools in the next millennium.
Approaches And Concept for the Next Millennium
For and success to be recorded, the national policy, philosophy and objectives for dance
have to change. Dance has to be recognized as a full-fledged subject for the primary school
pupils on its own. As soon as this is done, the conception will have to be refocused. The
objectives have to include teaching the pupils the fundamentals of dance i.e. the dynamic,
rhythmic and space patterns.
The pupils must be taught fundamentals and rudiments to be able to dance rhythmically
and accurately. They must be able to develop body alignment and balance. They must imbibe the
spirit of group work and social interaction. The focus must be to give the pupils a sense or
responsibility and confidence as a dancer. This being the focus, the modules shall therefore
allocate sufficient time for dance in the primary schools.
There should be, at least two double periods in the morning between 8am and 9.30am per
week for practical on the timetable. For continuity, Thursday and Friday or Monday and
Thursday will be most appropriate. These periods of practical training should focus on
inculcating in the pupils flexibility, stamina and various techniques on the strategic use of the
body.
A separate period should also be set aside for theory. Where the pupils will be introduced
to the meaning of dance types, functions, characteristics, etc. Although the pupils should also be
introduced to the dancers of the Western world like ballet, modern dance etc. The emphasis
should be on African dances, and Nigerian dance in particular. All the above should be examined
like every other curricular subject at the end of each term. The continuous assessment can be in
practice while the examination in theory will make up for the rest of the marks. Pupils should be
marked and graded on their performances like: in English and Mathematics.
To enhance all the above, qualified teachers should be employed to take charge. Those
who themselves undergone training in dance should be made to handle things at this level so that
the foundation can be solid. Moreover, dance studio, where the pupils can effectively trained and
where they can go to at their leisure time to improve themselves should be provided at all
primary schools. Finally, movements should not be forced on the pupils but they should be well
equipped to be able to create their own movements because the ideal dance education is that
which trains the students to find his own types of movement.8
Conclusion
This study, I hope, has made clear the present negative position of dance and the danger in the
continual treatment of dance as an extra curricular activity in the primary schools in Nigeria. It is
therefore necessary for urgent attention to be given to the approaches and concepts suggested in
this paper and dance be taught singularly as a curriculum subject like music and fine arts to
enable properly trained dance performing artists to evolve in Nigeria in the next millennium.

References
2.
Lincoln Kristein Dance Art, The New Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol. 5, Chicago:
Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. , 977), p.453.