TM

NAME OF DANCE
Funga Alafia

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
West Africa

DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Basic

BATCH RECOMMENDED FOR

WDJB U6

NUMBER OF DANCERS
4+

DURATION TO TEACH DANCE

2 months / 8 classes

TYPE OF DANCE :
Solo , Partners and Circle

PROPS REQUIRED:
Lapas (Sarongs)

MUSIC :NAME : Funga Alafia

ARTIST : Marnie
DURATION OF SONG: 2:43

HISTORY OF DANCE
Funga Alafia is a greeting song and dance throughout parts of West Africa. Some people
attribute it to the Hausa people from Nigeria. Alafia is a Hausa greeting and Aasheey
means something equivalent to good health and peace be with you. The song is often
sung with gestures, touching the head and extending the arms, then the lips, then
the heart and showing empty sleeves. These gestures symbolize greeting people with
your thoughts, with your words, with your heart and then assuring them that you have
no tricks up your sleeve, that you have come in peace.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
West Africa region includes countries as Liberia, Senegal, Mali, Ghana. Nigeria.

LANGAUGES SPOKEN
Swahili

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Dance is based on the lyrics.
Similar to Hawaiian and Indian; gestures
Tribes might fight and showing empty sleeves
Dances originated from Nature, Rites of passage, celebrations (victory, marriage) harvests.
Animals found in Africa – Lions, Wilder beast, Giraffe, Bison, African Elephant,
African Drum - Djembe

9821918442
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COSTUME
Boubou or kaftan

TECHNIQUE / STEPS TO BE TAUGHT DURING WARM UP

Step touch
Step touch walking forward and back
Elephant transferring weight from one leg to the other
Spotting with the turn and hands on heart
Sleeve step
Singing while dancing
Clapping to see rhythm
Forming a circle in 16 counts
Arms

MUSIC TO BE USED FOR WARM UP:

Kassav two songs
Africafe – Africa
Alane
Monkey song from PTDM
Surya namaskaar to end using radhe shyam

CHOREOGRAPHY RELATED DANCE GAMES/CREATIVE EXERCISES

Simba’s Safari–
Kids can place themselves anywhere in the room. On safari they have to travel as far as they can
without interfering with another animal.
Monkey (4) Giraffe(4), Elephant(4), Snake(4), Blue Crane (4 counts) Safari (be any animal and
travel for 16 counts or until someone gets caught) – and I am Simba the king of the jungle.
Drum pum pum :
Arrange chairs and beat rhythms out on the chair using them as drums.
Lion Sleeps Tonight (music from Lion King)
Mowgli sleeping in tent, wakes up, sees lions, meets monkeys, elephants, elephants bathe in pool
splash water with trunks, drink water, walk on tree trunk to cross river, fly like a bird, slither like
snake…

DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY:
Preparation
1. Begin facing audience in a U formation.
2. Dance commences after 2 bars
3. Starting position is feet apart in // second
Welcome
4. Hands and feet move together. Left hand bent at elbow with palm facing skywards at chest level.
5. R hand in same position and level. RH closes to LH and RF to LF. Body focus to the diagonals. \
6. When clapping face L diagonal. When opening face R diagonal. This is repeated 8 times.
Kids explanation ‘ This is my village. You are welcome here’
7. With my thoughts gesture walking fwd for 8 commencing with RF
8. With my words gesture walking backwards for 8 commencing with RF
9. With my heart ; hands crossed on chest and turning to the R in 8 counts. Use of spotting.
10. ‘Fungal Alafia we welcome you’ R hand crosses diagonally fwd in front of the body at chest level.
LH crosses similarly. This takes 4 counts. Arms open in welcoming gesture to second position for 4
counts. Feet are constantly in motion.
Sleeves and Call
11. Snake arms ; R arms goes up when using RF and same with L for 16 counts.
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12. Come step : Cross RF over to L side. Body travels to R. Hands fanning yourself.
13. Repeat No 7 & 8 & 9
14. Repeat no 10
15. Funga Alafia for 4 bars as in beginning
Instrumental Section
16. 4 bars of elephant. Chauu style
17. 2 bars to form a circle.
We are all one village
18. Repeat all steps facing the centre.