As a dancing anthropologist I believe that you should not only dance, drum and talk sabar, but also profoundly study sabar to gain a better understanding on sabar as a cultural complex phenomenon. There are lots of wonderful books, articles and films published on the topic of sabar. Now is a good time to start.
Below you will find some of the writings I have produced. and the books that have been very helpful in gaining more understanding in the wonderful world of sabar, dance, drum and Senegal.
FRANCAIS Le Saviez-vous? Article sur le sabar et le mbalax du Sénégal, pour magazine Dansez!
ENGLISH : Article on Sabar and Mbalax from Senegal for Dansez! Magazine
In 2006 I graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a master thesis on sabar titled ‘Sabar and Gender in a Globalising World’.
It is (unfortunately) written in Dutch. You can download it here.
In April 2018 a very important and interesting symposium was held in Dakar , initiated and organised by The Dance HALL in collaboration with URICA (Unité de Recherche en Ingénierie Culturelle et en Anthropologie). With much gratitude to The Dance HALL the restitution of this meeting has been made available for free and for all. Download “Rapport codification des danses africaines” here.
Patricia Tang’s Masters of the Sabar.
A must read if you are interested in sabar drum and dance. You can find this book here.
Francesca Castaldi’s Choreographies of African Identities
This book has proved very helpful when studying sabar in a Senegalese context. You can find the book here
Eleni Bizas’ Learning Senegalese Sabar
This book is a very interesting read, as it explores the learning of sabar and the communities of African dance practices in different settings. A must read, you can find the book here
Elina Seye’s Performing a Tradition in Music and Dance.
I loved reading this book, I recognized so much of what I had seen in sabar over the past years. Also a must read, and very accessible in the way it is written. Order your copy here
Sabar, Senegal’s Heartbeat, a film by Arda Nederveen.
This is a must see, for the love and beauty of sabar. Please order your copy here
Helene Neveu Kringelbach’s Dance Circles.
Helene is an authority when it comes to dance and movement in Senegal. This book has provided me with great insight. Order your copy here
This book covers a wide range of authors who have written about dance.
Order your copy here
Sophie Sabar 