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West African Dance Class with Live Drums

West African Dance Class with Live Drums — video by Ailey Extension Play · 36:10

Video by Ailey Extension on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A full class with Maguette Camara, a dancer and drummer who began in Dakar, Senegal: a 12-minute warm-up, then the dance Sunu built up step by step (hops, arms, clapping) and put together to live djembe drumming.

  • 36 min
  • Beginner
  • High impact (jumping)
  • No equipment

Good forDancing for fun

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Step by step 12

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Warm-up: reach the arms up, out and over to each side to loosen the upper body. 0:27
  2. Stretch: forward folds, wide-leg bends and deep side lunges to each side. 1:50
  3. Moving warm-up: step, kick and swing the arms to the drums to raise your heart rate. 4:10
  4. Sunu, first step: hop forward with feet together or slightly apart, slide back, then step forward twice. 12:22
  5. Add the arms: clap on the hop, push the arms back on the slide, then a hand to your chest as you step. 13:25
  6. Dance the first part to the drum beat, counting in with five, six, seven, eight. 14:38
  7. Next part: steps travelling to the side, keeping every step on the drum beat. 16:46
  8. Push step: step and push both hands up, then come back, to the right and then the left. 18:13
  9. Link the moves so far with the drum, then dance them on your own while he drums. 21:01
  10. Third part: clap, then step right, left, right, left, and repeat it four times. 23:29
  11. Last part: open to the side, then lift a knee with one arm raised, counting one-two. 26:54
  12. Full dance: do all of Sunu with him once, then on your own to the live drums. 32:06

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Count in with five-six-seven-eight and keep every step on the drum beat
  • Legs can stay together or slightly open; both are fine
  • Watch the feet first, then add the arms

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 3 takes load

  • Hips takes loadwide lunges and deep stretches in warm-up, hip-led steps
  • Knees takes loadhops, bent-knee steps, wide lunges in warm-up
  • Ankles & feet takes loadhops forward and back, toe pushes, bounce
  • Shoulders movesarm swings, clapping, arm patterns
  • Lower back movesside bends, forward folds, loose torso
  • Jumping or hopping. Impact goes through the ankles, knees and hips.
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. This video was harder to rate from its talk and pictures, so treat it as a rougher guide. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Ailey Extension; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety