EMA DANCE PERFORMANCE AND THE ROLE OF SONG DIRECTORS IN URHOBO LAND OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

EMa is a royalty music and dance performed by the people of Ughelli, Udu, Olomu, Effurun, Agbon and Uvwie clans amongst other Urhobo extractions including Okpe kingdom of Delta State, Nigeria. The artistic and exponential input of song conductors in Ema dance ensemble is very significant, yet not enough attention has been paid to their impact on the expressive musical performance. This paper examines the important contributions of song directors in Ema dance ensembles. It takes into cognizance the performance context of the dance, its performance structure, style and aesthetics, etc. Participant observation and interview were the instruments of data collection. Findings of the study reveal that song directors are usually the corner-stone of Ema performances.