CONTEXT AND MEANING IN SABADA DANCE OF THE IDOMA PEOPLE

The study focuses on the context and meaning of the Sabada dance of the Idoma people as a dominant cultural practice. The study establishes the concept of music and dance as an art form, their relationship, the origin and their functions in the traditional African society. The research reveals the organization and performance of Sabada dance as it is uniquely practiced in the Idoma community, the qualifications and attributes of what constitutes the membership of Sabada, their training and rehearsal techniques as elements that are necessary to the study. This study also examines the instrumentation, vocalisation and orchestration of the Sabada dance. In the classification of African musical instruments which are membranophones, aerophones, chordophones and idiophones, Sabada uses only the membranophones musical instruments. This study is also designed to focus on the Sabada performance proper, the dance movements, sequence and styles, the occasion for the performance, context, costumes and makeup. The study concludes that the social and cultural relevance of Sabada dance are to national development if properly harnessed. It therefore makes recommendations for its revitalization.