Wade in the Water Blog

After viewing Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe's version of Wade in the Water, I heard and saw a number of elements of Black music and dance as described by Thompson and Malone.  One such was the dominance of the percussive concept of the performance.  A clear example of this was heard during the first 1:40 of the song as the background vocals during this time were sharp and distinctly percussive instead of smoothly transitioning to each note.  Also prominently featured during the first 1:40 of the song was the element of multiple meter.  As numerous percussive instruments gradually joined the song, each seemed to play at its own tempo.  Thus, as described by Thompson, this part of the song featured the simultaneous execution of several time signatures.  In addition, the element of polymeter was also seen throughout the video as the dancers often chose different parts of their bodies to emphasize at the same time.  As this occurred, the dancers twisted and contorted their bodies which often resulted in angularity.  As described by Malone, such angulated bodies and gestures are an important part of African-American culture.  Furthermore, this dance often featured a great deal of asymmetry.  For example, although the dancers may have been moving slowly at one point, this often abruptly and unexpectedly changed to more rapid and vigorous movements.  In the end, this video also featured apart dancing.  Although the dancers often moved in unison, they also frequently did their own thing which, as described by Thompson, is to better ensure a dialogue between movement and sound.