African American Examples Of Walk Arounds - Ring Shouts And Other Religious Expressions

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on African American examples of historical and contemporary walk around (circle) movements.

Part II features five examples of religious walkaround movements - videos of religious ring shouts and other religious expressions.

This examples included in this post aren't meant to represent all examples of African American religious walk around movements.

The comments in the beginning of the essay that is showcased in Part I provide some background to these walk around examples.

Part I showcases Andrew Antonio Allen's essay about African American walk around dances and other movements including the Chicago style walk. This essay was written for the "Personal Recollections: The History Of Stepping Project. ("Chicago Stepping" is also known as "Chicago Bop" dance styles.) Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/reflections-on-history-meanings-of.html for that post.

Part III features examples of non-religious walk around movements including the cakewalk, Chicago stepping (dance), and historically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority strolling. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/african-american-examples-of-walk_11.html for that post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, cultural, religious, entertainment, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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[Excerpt ADDED August 19, 2017]
http://civilwar.revelsdc.org/wp-content/uploads/spirituals-article.pdf From Spiritual to Freedom Song: Tracing the Road to Freedom through Music

[...]

The Birth of an Art Form
Spirituals, religious folk songs of sorrow, hope, and redemption, provided comfort and a means of expression to enslaved African Americans. They were a method of coping for a people forced to abandon their native traditions to take on the culture of a hostile, unfamiliar world. They were a participatory art form that survived the Middle Passage, and became a way of life.

Characterized by their use of traditional West African rhythmic and harmonic patterns, the spirituals often employ a “call and response” pattern in which a leader sings or chants a few lines and the group repeats or offers variations on the lines in response. The songs thus draw upon many of the practices central to the African cultures the slaves had been forced to leave behind, emphasizing the primacy of the spoken word, celebrating verbal improvisation, and encouraging group participation.[2]

The retention of those West African rhythms and harmony was evident in the tradition known as the ring shout, an ecstatic expression of praise in which men and women moved in a shuffling, dancelike counterclockwise movement to singing and the beat of stomping feet, clapping hands, and other improvised percussion. This tradition, practiced largely by enslaved persons on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, was called “shouting.” It is believed that the word “shout” was derived from the Arabic word, sha’wt, (which pertains to the circular movement, not the singing), and the movements of the ring shout echo of that West African dance.

Lorenzo Dow Turner, an African American academic and linguist who extensively studied the culture and language of the Gullah people of the Sea Islands during the 1930s, determined the ring shout was “directly inherited from Muslim slaves that had been brought to the Sea Islands.” In doing the ring shout, they recreated the act of moving around a sacred object, similar to the movement of Muslim pilgrims around the Ka’bah in Mecca. [3]

The ring shout also spawned secular dances such as the “buzzard lope,” and was a precursor to the “Greek Step” tradition among African American fraternity and sorority groups.* Variations of the “shout” still exist in some African American faith communities today.
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*Italics added to highlight this sentence.

Even more than steppin', the historically Black Greek letter organizations movement activity known as "strolling" (or "party walks") with their circular formations should be considered to be a contemporary remnant of ring shouts.
-end of August 20, 2017 addition.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates on YouTube, with the exception of the ring shout examples which are presented first.

Example #1: Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters perform.MP4



hoshidas47, Uploaded on Jul 23, 2011
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The ring shout begins at 2:19 in that video. The religious song is "Give Me Two Wings".

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Example #2: Weeksville Heritage Center



Mireille Liong, Published on Jul 7, 2012

RUN MARY RUN: Jubilee Curator and choreographer Rashida Bumbray's newest installment of her dance work, RUN MARY RUN : Jubilee, considers the harmonic ideas and tonal vocabulary of the McIntosh County Shouters. Creating an active ritual for the ceremony of the ring shout, Bumbray and the performers take us on a ride through the cosmologies of the Low Country, Geechie Sea Islands, Tennessee Blues, P Funk, and Hip Hop. This iteration of Run Mary Run is developed in collaboration with Dance Diaspora Collective and special guest master dancer, Adenike Sharpley, Professor, Oberlin College.
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Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
Azaka86, 2012
"I have to say as a member of The McIntosh County Shouters. This is by far the greatest reinactment of the ring shout in a ceremonal fashion I have ever seen. Growing up and watchin the ring shout as a child the elder never took the shout to the point it was taken in this clip, because of the rules of "church" against dancing but to see that you guy held true to the shuffling of the feet while making the circle truly make me proud. The only thing that was missing was the beating of the stick. :)"

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Azaka86, 2012
[in response to the video publisher's thanks]
"You are most welcome and in shuffing your feet you must be in beat with the music. very awesome job just slow down allow yourselves to become one with the music and the song. That is when you really know you are shouting and not just going around in a circle. And whoever lead the song beautiful voice"

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Roz Harden, 2015
"Ring Shout in in best form. I love this song "You Got A Right" "

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[Comment added to post on 10/4/2016]

Giksy Redcloud, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxvtT7MR2ck

Many of the slaves in the Gullah Geechee belt were taken from the Futa Tooro region of southern Mauritania. Futa Tooro was destroyed when occupied by the french and it became Mauritania. The people there still do the same dance.
-snip-
The name of this video is "fulbe Mauritania"

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Example #3: Crystal's run,shout praise



terence hobbs. Uploaded on Jul 10, 2009

Lord i'm running,trying to make 100, 99 1/2 won't do!!!
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Selected comment:
Blckberi, 2014
"You better run and praise Him! All of you who find this wrong should just shut right on up. If David danced and tore his clothes off while praising God, who are we to tell anyone else how to praise the Lord. Run, dance, clap, sing, cry, snap your fingers, leap, fall out, it doesn't matter. God wants all of our praise. Stop judging how someone expresses their love and appreciation for who God is in their life. Well if you ever come to my church, you better praise or move out of the way and give us room to do it."

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Example #4: MCHCA Ushers & Nurses Grand March



Mount Calvary Holy Church Inc, Uploaded on Aug 19, 2009

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Example #5: Ushers Day Celebration...and they Marched for Jesus



Uploaded by GodsBlessingU on May 3, 2010

Anointed One Ministries Ushers Day Celebration ... as the Ushers Strutted during offering. Services were held at Bethel AME Church in Cambridge, MD

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The History Of Chicago Stepping: Personal Reflections by Andrew Antonio Allen

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- title change; former title: "Reflections On The History & Meanings Of African Americans Walk Arounds - From Andrew Antonio Allen In "The History Of [Chicago] Stepping Project"   

This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series on African American examples of historical and contemporary walk around (circle) movements.

Part I showcases Andrew Antonio Allen's essay about African American walk around dances and other movements including the Chicago style walk. This essay was written for the "Personal Recollections: The History Of Stepping Project. ("Chicago Stepping" is also known as "Chicago Bop" dance styles.)

I happened upon that website when I was searching for information about the Bop [dance].
I have no other information about Andrew Antonio Allen. I decided to showcase this entry because I was impressed with both the style and the content of the writing. I've not received prior permission from Mr. Allen to showcase his writing, and will remove this post if he requests that I do so.

Part II of this series features examples of religious walkaround movements - videos of religious ring shouts and other religious expressions. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/african-american-examples-of-walk.html for that post.

Part III features examples of non-religious walk around movements including the cakewalk, Chicago stepping (dance), and historically Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority strolling. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/african-american-examples-of-walk_11.html for that post.

These African American walkaround examples aren't meant to be a complete listings of such examples from that culture.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, cultural, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Andrew Antonio Allen for sharing his reflections and recollections with the general public. Thanks also to the steppershistory.org for archiving and sharing personal recollections and other information about Chicago Stepping with the world.

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Quoted Recollection: THE CHICAGO STYLE WALK by Andrew Antonio Allen
From http://www.steppershistory.org/personal-recollections.htm
Personal Recollections: The History Of Stepping Project [Chicago Stepping]

Era Referenced 1962
The Chicago Style Walk
By Andrew Antonio Allen

"We walk around in a ring an suppose. But, the secret sits in the middle and knowz." - Robert Frost

"Back in the day, the Walk Dance had it's camouflage existence, as comedy walks and high kicking steps. The really passionate Cakewalk was hidden away in the privacy of Afro American houses. The intimate walk 'round reappears centuries later, in the graceful Chicago Style Walk. We stand 'round the edge of the dance floor and watch the couples circling ever so slowly, as they walk solemnly in a circle. Staring at the hypnotic look on the dancers faces, convey a mystic atmosphere. The sweeping sound of the music takes the dancers emotions away. They move alluring, as their feet are slightly lifted. Their faces shine with a solemn glowing expression for the gliding steps, as if some mystical force keeps the flowing couples in harmony to the stream of music. Men and women perform the Walk Dance with such elegance and grace its performance always commands dignity and respect.

They go in a deliberate procession as if to recreate some long lost ritual from some long lost distant past. The cool sway of their bodies becomes a musical meter with the precision of a fine tuned watch. In their passage see the beauty of dance art in it's highest form. Ladies and gentlemen phrasing their accents to the timing of a drum-beat. They flow to the music like the graceful flow of a river. The suave gentlemen move slowly foreword in solemn movement of resolve. While the ladies retreat in elegant motions of sophistication. And we ponder and wonder with surprise. And we stand there not knowing what to ask, yet asking ourselves, "What does that mean? Even those unfamiliar with the dance will have to pause and ponder for its performances command attention. We gaze into a dance ceremony that only our rhythm remembers in our soul.

Thousands of years ago, African people believed that sound created the universe and dance gave it order. These dancers walk counter-clockwise to imitate the movement and direction of the stars. Egyptian dancers walk in a circle, paused-a-moment and made signs of the zodiac with their hands. They walk dance to synchronizes their bodies in motion with the motion of the universe. In the unbroken circle the dancers feel the presence of cosmic energy. To walk dance symbolizes "the harmony of nature amongst the chaos in the stars."

The Walk Dance came to the shores of DancelandUSA as a West African Circle Dance. The Walk 'Round Dance was held as a religious ceremony. This dance took on a spiritual nature and became known as the Ringshout Dance. To dance in a circle (ring). To sing (shout). Chanting voices, clappin' hands or slappin' the body and stompin', produced the accompanying rhythms of the dance. From this dance came the treasured ol' Gospel hymns. Afro American merged with the Court of Versailles the dance became a couple's social dance. The ladies and gentlemen dress in their fineries. With all its jesters of pomp and circumstances; the highbrowed struts, the elegant curtsies and flamboyant bows as they move.

Because, Afro Americans for the prize of a cake the dance was named the Cakewalk dance. In competition, the dancers walk 'round in a promenade or march-like step for the judges and the audience. The dancers with the most complex and unusual steps won the cake. The Cakewalk Dance became the first popular dance in America. By the time it hit the minstrel stage there were a variety of Cakewalks. On the minstrel stage became the grand finale on the chittlin' circuit. Later, the Walk 'Round Dance was introduced to America in Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals. Today, the church congregations exhibit essence of the Ringshout in songs, when the choir sways side to side or the choir lines-up in a procession and march down the aisle.

As a Teenager, I remember how the music and the dance delighted and enchanted us. We travelled throughout the city, any place had a jukebox or record player was playing, to get our dance on. Yet, It never occurred to me, why? Until, one evening I showed up at all alone, at Herb Kent's Friday night dance party held at St. Phillips High School. I had searched for my 'ace-coom-booms' (best friends) Lumpy, Jim, Boston and Boxdell and sometimes, Haywood, all that day. They hadn't been at our usual hangouts. So, I went home and got ready for the set feeling sure I'd see them that evening. 

As I walked into the large gymnasium it was packed with hundreds of teenagers. The entire basketball court sized dance floor was packed. As soon as I entered, I immediately started looking for them. I creamed around the dance floor weaving through the people dancing and wallflowers standing. For a minute, I began anxiously pushing my way, through the crowd. I just had to find my road dogs. For a while, I stood in one-stop and stared into the faces of the circling dancers as they walked past. I circled the place 4 or 5 times until I was exhausted. So I looked up and saw the darkly lit balcony. So I could get a better view of the dance floor. I thought a good vantage point, above the crowd; I could not miss sighting them from up there. Alone I quietly moved into the balcony. My tired feet announced themselves when I reached that top of the balcony steps.

When I started peering over the balcony railing for Jim n' nem the gym lights suddenly went off. The room for a few seconds went totally black. When the dim lights slowly came back up Herb Kent was standing center stage in the bright spot light. He announced, "Here tonight! Donald Jenkins and the Delighters... singing their latest hit song, 'Elephant Walk'!! They came out on stage looking cool in their slick shark skin suits. As soon as the music came on hundreds of teens began walkin' slowly around the dance floor. Later, little did I know the dance, to some, would take on the name of the popular song, 'The Elephant Walk.'

The boys and girls on the dance floor had become a flowing sea of bodies riding on the flow of music. The Walk is purely a romantic dance. While the music made the couples dance smooth and dignified in style giving them a musical personality, as they travel gracefully around, it was a rhythmic tidal wave of faces that had me spellbound and stuck to that balcony railing. I stood there enchanted by a vortex of elegant movement and enchanting music below my feet. The couples in the center danced their Slow Drag Dance, moving ever so slowly, around and around on themselves. Giving the circle a center of permanence. The Cool Walk Dance of sophistication and poise, took up the bulk of the circle. Those dancers mid way in the revolving disc danced in a ceremonious Cool Walk,, without lifting their feet, but slightly from the floor. Harmonious to the music, they maintained their position mid way in the circle. The beat and swaying motion gave a coolness that mesmerized me as I watched them.

On the outer edge of the dance floor making the rotation faster on the outside came the Skip Walk Dance; a kind of Foxtrot that gave the rotating disc its feeling of a spinning motion. Dancing smoothly, flowing on the sound of the music. Then on the outside came the Gouster's; the guys with their pleated baggy pants, wide brim hats and 'ol man comfort shoes. The Gouster girls in their pleated skirts and suspenders, white socks and Buster Brown shoes. The Gousters came whirling the outer edge of the circle with their faster skip movements. "Quick! Quick! Slow-quick! Quick! Slow." Sometimes trotting their path, allowing the disc a spinning motion. A red spotlight reflected off of the ballroom globe that hung from the ceiling. The red light shined down onto the dancers like the spokes of a wagon wheel, appearing to lead the dancers leisurely moving them round and around the floor. Wonderful beautiful faces, "Let it flow baby!" to the music in time. 

I was totally awe struck. It was truly wonderful to my senses. Now, it all came together as a giant wagon wheel rotating to the hypnotic song "crazy melody, always haunting to me, Elephant Walk." Circling in time to mystical rhythms that endured a lost history in time. At that moment I said to my self; "How beautiful they are!" When the music faded and the lights came up it took a minute or two for me to snap out of the hypnotic trance the dance had induced. And our dancing has never been the same for me since. Later, I would learn some ancient ceremony had come to life before my eyes. It was so amazing to me to see a hidden splendor of Afro American culture displayed in the heart of our community. To see them in their finest moment of artistic beauty blending dance and music. Since that amazing encounter of dance for me, has become a steppers way of life."
-snip-
I changed the paragraphs in this article to enhance its readability. 

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Here's information about the term "Gousters"
From www.steppershistory.org/definitions.htm
"Gousters were cool and suave with an adopted style of fashion from the notorious Gangsters of the 40's and 50's, baggy suits and pleated pants, cool, calm, and collective. - Reproduced with permission DanLanProductions © From an article by: Mr. Daniel Land SteppersExpress.com all rights reserved.
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Additional information about "Gousters" is found on that website.

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From http://boomacious.com/2010/03/ivy-leaguer-or-gouster/
"Whether he was your lover, your good friend, or kind of like a play brother, back in those days, boys had one of two popular fashion styles, Gouster or Ivy League. An Ivy Leaguer was a collegiate wannabe, a 60’s version of J. Crew with just a touch of swagger. His style was straight-legged pants, sometimes with a belt buckle in back; a buttoned-down collar shirt; and tinted glasses.

Ivy Leaguers shopped at Brooks Brothers where they specialized in starched, buttoned-down shirts with French cuffs and cufflinks. The Ivy Leaguer would complete the look with a V-Neck, wool blend sweater thrown over the shirt to give us girls a thrill.

A Gouster’s style was dress-casual. He wore lose fitting, almost baggy clothes. His fine wool, alpaca and mohair sweater had three buttons at the neck, with a lazy, turned down collar. Pants with two pleats at the waist left a little room in the leg so that a Gouster could pimp. He usually pimped on down to Smokey Joe’s Fashion House to buy more fabulous outfits. As I said earlier, Gousters favored Jade East, while Ivy Leaguers spruced up with Aramis."
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Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/five-du-tones-gouster-sound-file-lyrics.html for a pancocojams post on the Five Du-Tones' 1964 record "Gouster" and additional comments about Gousters.

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