Basic Characteristics of Traditional African Dance(Tierou):

• Bent knees with the body close to the earth


• Shifting weight from one foot to the other
• Movement of isolated body parts (heads, shoulders,
  hips, rib cage etc…)
• Rhythmically complex and syncopated movement
• Polyrhythm - carrying out two or three movements at once
• The combination of music and dance as one
• Functionalism- Becoming what you dance(the art of real life).

The dancers are in koou djiba in sahan, that is in a circle and on their knees. The dance has no meaning unless they hold the objects which are personal to them. Any mistake in the execution of the dance is though to bring misfortune to the dancer.(Tierou)