The Diary Game: Preparation And Training For Cultural Dance

Hello everyone in the Steemit family, I welcome you all to my another episode of the diary game. Today, I want you all to know that Culture is who we are. And when you want to truly show who you are, you dance it.

I am so happy to share with you all today what has been happening in our camp for the past few days. As you can see from the pictures I have attached, we have been deep in preparation and training for our cultural dance presentation. It has not been easy, but it has been full of joy, laughter, sweat, and unity. This is more than just dance - it is about preserving our heritage.

The Ground Becomes Our Stage

If you look at the pictures closely, you will notice we are not in a fancy hall with air conditioners and polished floors. Our rehearsal ground is the open field, under the big neem trees, on the natural red sand. Our feet are bare. Our drums are local. And that is exactly how cultural dance is supposed to be learned. From the very first day, our instructors told us: "You must feel the earth. Your feet must connect with the soil of your ancestors." And that is what we have been doing every evening.

The training starts around 4:30 PM when the sun is going down. That is the best time because the heat has reduced and the breeze under the trees is cool. Everyone gathers - both men and women, young and old. In the first picture, you can see one of our women groups practicing. They are holding fresh green leaves in their hands. In our culture, these leaves are very symbolic. They represent life, peace, fruitfulness and harvest. The women tie them around their waists and hold them while dancing. The movement is gentle but powerful - the waist, the shoulders, the feet all moving in rhythm to the drums.

The second picture shows the full formation. You can see two groups. On one side, the women with their green leaves and colorful wrappers, and on the other side, the men with long sticks. This is a very popular traditional dance formation in many parts of Northern and Middle Belt Nigeria - the dance of unity between the farmers and hunters. The women represent the farmers who bring in the harvest, the men represent the hunters and protectors of the land.

The Meaning Behind The Moves

What many people think is just "dance" actually has deep meaning. In the third and fourth pictures, you can see the men with sticks facing the women. The man in the yellow and red wrapper in the center is one of our lead dancers. The sticks you see are not for fighting - they are part of the rhythm. When they hit the ground together - GBAM! GBAM! - it creates a thunderous sound that matches the drums. The leg work has to be precise. Everyone must lift their leg at the same time, hit the stick at the same time, and turn at the same time. One person missing the step can spoil the whole formation.

Our instructor, the man beating the drum in the middle, is very strict. He will stop us 20 times just to correct one leg movement. He keeps shouting, "Feel the drum! Don't just hear it, feel it in your chest!" In the fifth picture, you can see us in a different formation - a circular procession. This is the opening entrance. We are taught that when you enter the arena for a cultural display, you don't just rush in. You must enter like royals, in a line, with grace, holding your leaves high. This part of the training took us two full days to perfect because everyone must walk with the same slow, dignified steps.

The sixth picture is my favorite. It shows our general rehearsal where everyone - staff, students, even visitors who were passing by - were trying to catch up with the steps. You can see women bending low, almost touching the ground, in a move called the "greeting to the earth." This move shows respect to Mother Earth for giving us food. It looks easy but it is very difficult - you have to bend without falling, and you have to be in sync with the person next to you.

The last picture shows us under the tree after a long 2-hour rehearsal. We were tired, sweaty, but happy. That tree has become our meeting point. Under its shade, we correct ourselves, we laugh at our mistakes, we drink water and share stories.

Why We Are Doing This?

Some people may ask, why are we stressing ourselves for a cultural dance in 2026 when the world is all about TikTok and modern music?

My answer is simple: If we don't dance our dance, who will dance it for us?

Modernization is good, but it should not erase our identity. This cultural dance training is part of our program to teach young people that our culture is beautiful. It is not old-fashioned. It is powerful. The drums, the songs, the chants, the costumes - they all carry the wisdom of our forefathers.

Secondly, this dance is bringing unity. In this camp, we have people from different states, different tribes, different religions - Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Tiv. But when the drum starts, we are one. We are all speaking one language - the language of dance. That is the beauty of culture.

We are preparing for a big presentation day coming up very soon where we will perform this dance in full costume before guests and officials. Our goal is not just to dance well, but to tell a story. The story of our people - hardworking farmers, brave hunters, joyful women, and a land blessed with harvest.

The training continues tomorrow. Our legs are sore, our voices are hoarse from singing, but our spirit is high. We are learning that preparation is everything. No great performance happens without hours of hidden rehearsal on the dusty ground.