A Bird Dance near Saturday City: Sidi Ballo and the Art of West African Masquerade

1. The Performance

1 Cast of Characters Sidi Ballo was without a doubt the featured artist and the very reason there was a bird dance at Dogoduman in June of 1978. Nevertheless, he was one among many performers, all of whom contributed to the shape of the event and the affect it created in the audience. Drum Orchestra: from the Dogoduman youth association (ton) Young Ladies’ Chorus: from the youth association Senior Lady Singers: featuring the very talented Mayimuna Unmasked Dancers: very young members of the youth association Masked Dancers: older members of the youth association, featuring the Ntomoniw mask wearers Master of Ceremonies: the man in the deck-of-cards shirt, who facilitated the sequence of performers Sidi Ballo’s Apprentice: Sibiri Camara, a very talented performer in his own right Sidi Ballo, the Bird Masquerader: already quite famous in large areas around THE PERFORMANCE Bamako and an extraordinarily talented, perceptive, and intelligent artist The Local Blacksmiths: who were called out in the midst of the event to dance in their own honor The Dogoduman Town Spokesperson: who entered the dance arena to proclaim the support of the city for the event The Audience: who danced from time to time and engaged the performers with knowledgeable expectations and enthusiasm. The Fototalaw: the photographers and audio taper from out of town, who heard about the event the night before and came to document it. They were Kalilou, Sangaré, and me. Together, these performers created a wonderful evening as individuals working in a group, engaged in a common project. Their individuality gave the performance character, and their individual abilities contributed to its success. The effect was an intermeshing of effort to produce something that could not have been accomplished by anyone alone. In the précis and description that follow, Sidi Ballo will most frequently be clearly in the spotlight. But to do him and the event justice, the rest of the text will cast him amongst his fellow performers and the larger collection of social and cultural webs that gave the master masquerader his medium and his opportunities for success. Performance Précis Like most masquerade events in Mande or anywhere else, the Dogoduman performance possessed a rhythm and pattern. Certain things repeated throughout the evening as new things constantly emerged. In this brief synopsis, given to help orient you for the longer description that follows, I generally say “the bird,” “Kònò,” “the bird masquerade,” or “the master masquerader” instead of using Sidi Ballo’s name, because during a performance it is considered improper to state the name of a masquerader. Warm-up and Preparation: The drummers tune their instruments. Drummers and singers warm up. The Ntomoniw Enter: Two youth association dancers in delicate face masks begin the festivities. The Unmasked Youths and Ntomoniw Again: Younger unmasked dancers perform singly and in pairs, and then the Ntomoniw return. A Mande Intermission: The arena quiets as dancers take a break and the young women’s chorus softly sings. Sigi and Ntomoni: One of the Ntomoni masked dancers, representing a 14 The Bird Dance at Dogoduman The Performance 15 beautiful Fulani woman, performs a skit with a masquerade called Sigi, the wild bush buffalo. Unmasked Dancers, a Second Intermission, the Bird Arrives: The young unmasked dancers return briefly, followed by a second intermission , again with the young ladies singing very softly. As the music builds back up in intensity, the bird, Kònò, enters the dance arena for the first time. Great drama and excitement ensue. Unmasked Dancers, Drummers, and the Young Ladies’ Chorus: As if releasing pent-up energy, the unmasked dancers take the bird’s place as the drummers spill onto the dance arena and the singers circle around it. A sense of serene interlude is produced. Kònò Returns and Greets the Town: The bird is back, with high-energy routines. Then he slows down and greets the musicians, important town members, and guests. Off to the Races Again: More of the bird’s high-speed dance arena maneuvering. He is now solidly establishing many of the gestures and the intricate and challenging actions that made him such a popular performer. Kònò Hits the Wall: In a high-speed maneuver that comes with little warning, the bird flies through the air and slams into a house wall. The Ntomoniw Dancers Return: The young masked dancers now return and execute a series of exacting and impressive dancing feats. Children...