Cultural Dancers

In Liberia, if a big event is hosted, then cultural dancers area hired. All the ones I have seen have a set of drummers, dancers, acrobats, a beaded instrument shaker (the woman with the red hat, I don't know what its called), and usually a caller, my personal term, who introduces the group.

The drummers bring emotions with their beats and gather up emotions while the crowd waits for the dancers. There is never a need for amplifiers with the drums. The beating of multiple drums layers intensity into the air and makes not beats but music.

The caller tells the group about the county the dancers will represent and about the type of dance or people who live there. Dancers come through the crowd and the show really starts.

I am like a child with excitement every time I see a group. It happens so infrequently that I could be seeing the same group over and over again but don't know it. The drumming is felt in my bones and I have no desire to be anywhere else.

You can see it on the dancers' faces, they don't want to be anywhere else either. I love Liberia.