This course will focus on two or more dance and percussion forms from the continent of Africa or the African diaspora. All students will learn the fundamentals of dance and drumming technique that provide the skills for learning forms such as Kpanlogo (Ghana), Lamban (Senegal, Mali and the Gambia) as well as Ring Shout from the United States. This course may be taken for academic and/or PE credit. Students enrolled for academic credit are required to attend two dance/percussion technique classes weekly, attend a third meeting for lectures and discussion of reading or media that provide context for the impact of these forms, write a critique of a relevant concert or screening of a documentary film, keep a journal that documents learning, take a bi-weekly physical or written quiz to assess learning, prepare and present a final project based on course content that demonstrates understanding of technique and the ability to use forms to create a composition, and submit a short research paper that supports their project. Students enrolled for PE credit are required to attend two dance/percussion technique classes weekly, take a bi-weekly physical or written quiz to assess learning, attend a relevant concert or screening of a documentary film during the semester, and prepare and present a final study using dance or percussion that demonstrates understanding of technique and ability to use the forms in a composition. All students will be evaluated on the quality of participation in technique classes and demonstration of ability to use and understand forms in quizzes and the final project. Students enrolled for academic credit will also be evaluated on the quality of two papers (performance critique and short research paper) and participation in discussion.