After seeing another fun show this past weekend courtesy of Cobu Performing Arts group, I can't help but think back to a year ago when I was studying, dancing and teaching in Uganda, Africa. There, dance and music are so inseparable, which is a performance value that Cobu certainly shares. Interweaving tap dance and traditional Japanese drumming, every choreographed move keeps in mind both the visual and musical effect. It's refreshing to see dance and music on such an equal playing ground, and is certainly one of the reasons I'd credit such success and impressed audience members as Cobu has.
Too often, I think, dance and music are approached as completely separate entities that coexist allowing the music to act as a soundtrack, movement motivator, story-line, or timing mechanism for the dance. Their relationship is no deeper than that. Even here in the dance-packed Big Apple, we are so inundated with dance classes, dance TV shows, contests, competitions, movies and music videos that pride this kind of dance-music relationship. It is a joy to see dance looked at, performed and choreographed musically, hence up-in-coming groups like Cobu!
Please see my complete Cobu Review of this past weekend's performance at PMT Dance Studio.
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