Agbadza: The Critical Edition is by David Locke.
Agbadza is an Ewe music and dance that evolved from the times of war into a very popular recreational dance.It came from a very old war dance called Atrikpui and was usually performed by the Ewe people of the Volta Region.It is also performed by the people of Ewe descent.There are five movements in the dance.There is a short introductory prayer to the gods and ancestors.The main dance is vutsortsor.Adzo is less energetic and only the master is made to drum with.Hatsatsa- historical songs are performed.The main dance usually lasts for a number of hours.A stick is used to play an instrument called gankogui.The iron banana shaped bell is played with a small forged iron rod.Both the Atoke and the Gankogui can be used for the same purpose.[5]
The dance is played at many occasions.Since this music is known by other ethnic groups as Ewe, it is played at any time that calls for an EWE identity emblem.Unlike other Ewe dances, which are usually reserved for people of a certain age, religion, or gender, everyone is welcome to join in the dance.The dance is known as the "chicken dance" due to the bird-like motions required for the dance.[6]
The times of war gave birth to Agbadza.After various times of war and oppression, the Ewe people settled down in the southern part of the country.The Ewes used various songs and dances to encourage their warriors to be ready for battle.There is a dance called Atrikpui.Agbadza, which is no longer used for war but rather in events that are more joyful, evolved from this dance.At the time known as Atrikpui, Ewe singers and poets sang about battles, life and death, heroism, cowardice, migration, conquest, and a warrior ethos.The move towards Agbadza was done due to a period of peace that was enjoyed by the Ewes around the 1920s, and so they decided to use some of their old songs as entertainment.Agbadza is the most popular Ewe dance.[2]
Bell has a recurring phrase that establishes the song's pace and serves as a time line for the rest of the ensemble.[6]
Sogo: This is the leader drum.It tells the other drums what they are supposed to be playing.When the dancers are supposed to be starting to dance, this drum signals them through the use of drumming language.[6]
Kidi: The second drum is in the ensemble.It uses drumming language to communicate with the Sogo.[6]
The bell interacts with the support drum to create a specific melody.[6]
The beaded-rattle follows the rhythm of the timeline to complement the Agbadza song.[6]
The handclaps in Agbadza add human interaction to the song and create a dense musical texture of high energy.[6]
The call and responses system is found in the music of West Africa.